News

Aug 10, 2023

DeSantis doubles down on Trump criticism in Piers Morgan interview

Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is no longer veiling

Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is no longer veiling his presidential ambitions or his criticism of former President Trump, taking a new gloves-off approach in a wide-ranging — and rare — interview with British journalist Piers Morgan.

Why it matters: DeSantis and Trump have long been on a collision course as the two front-runners for the 2024 GOP nomination. Trump's escalating attacks on his former ally have become more personal in recent weeks — and now DeSantis is punching back.

Driving the news: Hours after igniting outrage in Trumpworld with a shot at Trump over the former president's alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels, DeSantis told Morgan that the "underlying conduct" in the Manhattan DA's investigation is "outside my wheelhouse."

"Truth is essential," DeSantis responded when asked if there's been a departure from the truth being a key component of leadership. "We have to agree that there's a certain reality to the world we live in."

Zoom in: DeSantis suggested that his landslide re-election victory in November is why Trump's attitude toward him has changed — laughing off some of the nicknames the former president has lobbed his way.

The big picture: DeSantis told Morgan that if he does decide to run for president, it's his success in attracting independent voters in Florida that will help vault him to the White House.

Between the lines: The symbolism of the exclusive DeSantis interview landing in the New York Post — the Rupert Murdoch-owned paper in the city where Trump is expected to be indicted — will not be lost on Trump's allies.