DeSantis’ political team says governor is ‘greatest threat’ to Trump 2024

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political team press secretary, Bryan Griffin, said the governor “presents the greatest threat to Donald Trump” ahead of an expected 2024 presidential announcement.

Griffin’s comments represent one of the first public instances in which the governor or his team begin to directly press forward indicating a 2024 challenge to the former president, ending what Trump and his supporters have complained has been a “shadow” campaign.

Griffin responded to reports of pro-Trump super PAC Make America Great Again, Inc. spending over $15 million in anti-DeSantis ad buys.

“These are the largest ongoing expenditures against a non-candidate in Republican primary history, and that’s all you need to know to draw the obvious conclusion,” Griffin said. “@RonDeSantis presents the greatest threat to Donald Trump.”

The remarks from DeSantis’ team come after months of a pro-DeSantis super PAC, Never Back Down, advocating for DeSantis and attacking Trump, with the governor’s official team seldom weighing in on matters like 2024.

Super PACs are run independently from a given political candidate or official candidate committee.

Also Monday, ‘electability’ arguments were fired off on both sides, with both Trump and a Never Back Down spokeswoman arguing the other candidate lacks the ability to defeat President Joe Biden in 2024.

“[DeSantis] is totally unelectable,” Trump said.

“There’s a very clear through line right now in polling – a few outliers – but DeSantis beats Biden and Biden beats Trump,” Never Back Down spokeswoman Erin Perrine said.

A 2024 announcement from DeSantis has been rumored and reported to come this week.