Donald Trump has privately revealed that he believes Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is too boring to become US President, according to reports.
According to Axios sources close to Trump, the former President thinks that Mr DeSantis has no realistic chance of beating him in the 2024 GOP primary on account of his “dull personality”.
Numerous polls indicate that the 43-year-old from Jacksonville is the leading Republican candidate for 2024, when Mr Trump’s name is not listed as an option.
“In the context of the 2024 election, he usually gives DeSantis a pop in the nose in the middle of that type of conversation,” said an Axios source who recently spoke to Mr Trump.
“He says DeSantis has no personal charisma and has a dull personality,” the source added.
In addition, the report states that Mr Trump makes it explicitly known to those around him that he isn't worried about the Florida governor’s presidential prospects.
Mr DeSantis had previously been looked upon as a possible running mate should Mr Trump become the GOP nominee.
According to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, part of the 75-year-old’s hostility seemingly stems from Mr DeSantis’ refusal to rule out a presidential bid.
“Trump has been telling a range of aides a version of, he isn’t getting the deference from DeSantis that he wants in the pre-2024 leadup,” she writes.
The pair have also clashed on a number of key issues. The US government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic drove a clear wedge between the men, who butted heads over the closure of Florida’s beaches as the virus ripped through the Sunshine State in early 2020.
Tensions simmered just last week, when Mr Trump hit out at politicians - Mr DeSantis included - who refuse to disclose their vaccination status. The former President labelled such individuals as “gutless”, which some observers regard as an indirect attack on the Republican governor.
