Former Trump Administration Chief-of-Staff Mark Meadows weighed in this week on reports of a growing feud between former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, saying DeSantis is “smart enough” to know Trump is still the boss.
“This is the party of Trump. This will continue to be,” Meadows told Newsmax, adding that DeSantis has done a “great job” leading Florida but won’t “challenge” Trump if the former president does decide to run for office again in 2024.
Americans “want Donald Trump back in the White House,” Meadows said.
“It’s his decision on whether he runs for president or not, but I can tell you, if he does, it won’t be Ron DeSantis challenging him,” Meadows continued. “It will be the media trying to create this conflict that obviously is not there.”
Meadows’ comments follow a report by Axios that Trump has been privately trashing DeSantis as “dull.”
The former president was reportedly irritated that DeSantis has not public say “he won’t run.”
Trump also took a veiled shot at DeSantis earlier this month when he revealed he got the COVID-19 booster shot, saying that other politicians who refuse to reveal whether they’ve gotten the booster are “gutless.”
His comments came after DeSantis refused to say whether he had gotten a booster shot, arguing that that was his private medical decision.
But on Wednesday, reports surfaced that suggested Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., might be the secret interloper responsible for the reported rift.
McConnell has been outspoken in his opposition to Trump and vice-versa. Powerful Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC—a Trump ally most of the time—told McConnell last week that unless the two mended fences he would not support McConnell’s next bid for majority leader.
For his part, DeSantis has dismissed the reports of a growing tension between himself and Trump, accusing the media of trying to sow division in the GOP.
“I think this is what the media does,” DeSantis said during a recent interview.
“You cannot fall for the bait … You know what they’re trying to do, so just don’t take it. Just keep on keeping on,” he continued. “We need everybody united for a big red wave in 2022. We’ve got to fight the left, and not only fight, but beat the left. And that’s what we’re doing in Florida.”
