Ex-US President Donald Trump has lashed out at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, as the simmering rivalry between the two top Republicans boiled over.
Trump belittled his former political apprentice as an "average" governor, lacking in "loyalty", BBC reported.
DeSantis, 44, won re-election in a landslide in Tuesday's midterms, sealing his status as the Republican party's brightest rising star.
He is widely expected to run for the party's 2024 White House nomination.
"Ron had low approval, bad polls, and no money, but he said that if I would Endorse [sic] him, he could win," Trump said in a lengthy statement on Thursday.
He went on to complain that DeSantis - whom he is nicknaming "Ron DeSanctimonious" - was "playing games" by refusing to rule out a presidential bid.
"Well, in terms of loyalty and class, that's really not the right answer," Trump added.
The former president is widely expected to announce his own plan for a White House comeback as soon as next week.
The race for control of the House of Representatives and Senate went down to the wire. Two days after Americans went to the polls, it remains unclear which party will control the twin chambers of Congress.
