From “demon” to “cool guy”: who is Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump’s new ally

Who is Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida Who withdrew from Sunday’s Republican election, ending the bitterest rivalry with Trump in the race for the White House?

Once considered a “Trump with a brain,” DeSantis could have become one into a weight rival against the former president, who in exchange unloaded all his explosive verbiage on him: he called him “Desantimonio” or “Desanctus”. But on Sunday night, when the former Florida governor dropped out of the race after losing the first vote in Iowa, Trump saved the mockery and called his sudden ally “a good boy” (Kind).

For Trump it has become a family ritual I welcome support from someone who has tried to deal with it. But maybe it’s his turn at Sunday’s rally in New Hampshire, when he praised DeSantis’ demise the bitterest rivalry of the 2024 Republican campaign.

“I just want to thank Ron and congratulate him on doing a great job,” Trump said at the beginning of his speech. “He was very kind and he supported me. I appreciate it and look forward to working with Ron.” Trump described DeSantis as “a truly amazing person.”

Earlier in the day, DeSantis said in a video that he would end his campaign two days before New Hampshire’s first Republican primary (which will be held this Tuesday). But, aside from Trump’s jubilation on Sunday night, It wasn’t the warmest of confirmations.

“It’s clear to me that the majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” DeSantis said. offering practical analysis with a forced smile, without adding applause to Trump.

“I signed a pledge to support the Republican candidate and I will honor that pledge,” he continued, before adding a criticism of the remaining contender, Nikki Haley. DeSantis described the former United Nations ambassador and former South Carolina governor as a replacement for the “old guard Republicans of the past, a repackaged form of hot corporatism.”

Seemingly unimpressed by DeSantis’ approach, Trump has adopted a tone of camaraderie as fellow political fighters. “I’ll tell you, it’s not easy,” Trump said Sunday night in Rochester. “You think it’s easy to do these things, don’t you? It’s not easy”.

Trump then quickly transitioned into his typical rally speech, mixing light-hearted attacks on President Joe Biden, the political media, the “deep state” and “warmongers” in Washington, and the criminal justice system that charged him four timeswith 91 crimes and awaiting multiple trials.

He spent more time criticizing Haley than praising DeSantis, casting her as a tool of the political establishment he despised. He has made broad promises of peace and prosperity, promising, without offering any detailed plan, that it would reverse inflation and end Russia’s war in Ukraine. AND he repeated his lies that his loss to Biden in 2020 was due to fraud.

A lively crowd at the historic Rochester Opera House He laughed, sang and roared all around.

Who is Ron DeSantis

DeSantis, who grew up under Trump’s wing and gained popularity when he opposed the closure of state schools and businesses during the pandemic, he initially tried to avoid criticizing the former president, whose endorsement helped him win the 2018 gubernatorial primary and continue his career .

DeSantis, 47, is married to a former television host. He is an ultra-conservative, military, lawyer, who fights “for freedom”, against Disney, sex education in schools, communism and illegal immigration.

But DeSantis failed to gain ground in the primaries because The Trumpist base remained faithful to their leader, Despite facing 91 charges in the various trials the tycoon faced, Trump steadily consolidated support and rose in the polls to later seal a landslide victory in Iowa.