Former President Donald Trump ridiculed Ron DeSantis, saying the Republican Florida governor only went on a four-nation trip that began Monday in Japan to "see if he can remove the stain from his failing campaign."
"The 'Consultants' are sending DeSanctus, and demanding he go immediately, on an emergency Round the World tour of U.S representative population countries, like South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Israel, in order to up his game and see if he can remove the stain from his failing campaign. Bad poll numbers!" Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social.
DeSantis, considered to be Trump's toughest challenger for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has not declared his candidacy. In a news release on the governor's website, he is leading an international trade mission, organized in conjunction with Enterprise Florida, to build on economic relationships with Japan, South Korea, Israel, and the United Kingdom.
"The governor will meet with business executives and government leaders to discuss ways in which Florida can expand economic partnerships," the news release said. "The governor will be joined by first lady Casey DeSantis, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd and Florida Secretary of Commerce Laura DiBella."
Trump has widened his edge over DeSantis in most polling. On March 31, Trump had a 45.9% to 30.1% lead, according to the RealClear Politics polling aggregate. Now, that lead has jumped to 52.4% to 23.4%.
In Japan on Monday, DeSantis dismissed the polling that showed him losing ground to Trump.
"I'm not a candidate, so we'll see if and when that changes," DeSantis told reporters.
But Trump did not let up in his Truth Social post.
"Perhaps he can, and perhaps he can't, who really knows, but he'll have plenty of time to think as he sits alone, on his taxpayer funded airplane, riding it out and thinking, WHY???" Trump wrote.
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