Former US President Trump claimed on Friday that he is under “total assault” because of his lead in the polls among current and potential GOP presidential candidates.
“[We’re under] total assault because we’re winning in the polls,” Trump told his former advisor Steve Bannon during an interview on “War Room”, as quoted by The Hill.
In the interview, Trump also took aim at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is widely considered his biggest competition for the 2024 Republican nomination, though he has yet to officially join the race.
“DeSanctis is failing badly,” Trump said, in a reference to his nickname for the Florida governor, “Ron DeSanctimonious.”
“It’s amazing what being 40 down does,” he added.
NBC News reported this past week that DeSantis is poised to jump into the presidential fray as soon as mid-May. DeSantis has been actively preparing for a campaign.
As of February, DeSantis was up on Trump by as many as 24 points in a hypothetical Republican primary matchup, but Trump has since gained traction. A poll released last Friday found that 55 percent of respondents who identified as Republicans said they would back Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential primary.
“The donors are largely leaving him now,” Trump said of DeSantis, adding, “What’s happening is the donors are calling me now because the donors follow the polls.”
Trump previously warned DeSantis against running for president in 2024, saying, “I think he would be making a mistake. I think the base would not like it. I don’t think it would be good for the party.”