DeSantis tells ‘keyboard warrior’ Trump to get out of his ‘dungeon’ and debate

MARCO ISLAND, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis sounded off on some of former President Donald Trump’s recent attacks, calling Trump a “keyboard warrior” who should participate in the Republican primary debates.

“He blamed me yesterday for Florida State not making the playoff,” DeSantis said Tuesday. “He’s attacked me, saying that New York and Cuomo did better and handled COVID better than Florida.”

“He’s attacked me for being pro-life. He sided with Disney, when we worked to protect kids from a sexualized curriculum,” DeSantis said. “And so this is what he does.”

“He’s doing it behind his keyboard on his social media site,” the governor said. “OK – if you’re gonna be a keyboard warrior, get out of there – get out of your dungeon, get off the keyboard, stand on the debate stage and let’s go.”

“Let’s go do it,” he said. “I don’t think he will do it, because I don’t think he can stand there for two hours against me and come out on top.”

The fourth debate will take place Wednesday, absent Trump, who’s typically held his own programming before or during the debates.

The Republican National Committee announced the candidates who qualified Tuesday: former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.

DeSantis made the comments at a press conference where he announced his 2024-2025 budget. It includes nearly half a billion for debt repayment, a similar amount for property insurance, funding for tax cuts, record K-12 funding, teacher raises, eliminating over 1,000 government jobs, and more.

Trump has a commanding 48% lead over the next closest competitor, DeSantis, according to the RealClearPolitics average of national primary polling. He also leads in every early primary or caucusing state.