DeSantis Responds to Question About Whether He'd Be Trump’s 2024 Vice President

(Left) Former President Donald Trump addresses the crowd during a 2024 election campaign event in Columbia, S.C., on Jan. 28, 2023. (Right) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to guests at the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas on Nov. 19, 2022. Logan Cyrus, Scott Olson/Getty Images

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded to a question about whether he would be former President Donald Trump’s vice president in 2024, indicating that he would not.

When asked by Newsmax during an interview aired Thursday night about whether he'd join Trump’s ticket, the Republican governor demurred.

“I think I am probably more of an executive guy. I think that you want to be able to do things,” DeSantis said. “That’s part of the reason I got into this job, is because we have action. We’re able to make things happen, and I think that’s probably what I’m best suited for.”

While DeSantis has not officially entered the 2024 race, both he and Trump have emerged as Republican favorites. Hostile rhetoric between the two has escalated in recent days after Trump announced on social media that he would be indicted by Manhattan District Attorney General Alvin Bragg this week.

DeSantis offered this week what appeared to be the first critical comment targeting Trump after he was asked by a reporter about the possible indictment. The Republican governor made reference to allegations that Trump provided money to adult performer Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign.

“I don’t know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair,” DeSantis told reporters. “I just, I can’t speak to that.” And when asked about blocking extradition, he said, “I have no interest in getting involved in some type of manufactured circus by some Soros DA,” making a reference to billionaire donor George Soros’s having given campaign cash to Bragg.

“He’s trying to do a political spectacle … I’ve got real issues I’ve got to deal with here in the state of Florida,” he added.

There has been widespread speculation that DeSantis, who rose to prominence after ending COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates in his state, would enter the presidential race. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy are the only two other prominent Republicans to have declared their candidacies so far.

Days later, the governor gave an interview to Piers Morgan and attempted to contrast himself with Trump, saying he would have fired Anthony Fauci, formerly the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, early on the COVID-19 pandemic. He also suggested Trump as president had a chaotic leadership style, but did not specifically criticize the former commander-in-chief.

Then-President Donald Trump listens as Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks about the CCP virus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on April 22, 2020. Alex Brandon/AP Photo

“I also think just in terms of my approach to leadership, I get personnel in the government who have the agenda of the people and share our agenda. You bring your own agenda in, you’re gone. We’re just not gonna have that,“ he said. ”So, the way we run the government, I think, is no daily drama, focus on the big picture and put points on the board, and I think that’s something that’s very important.”

And in that interview, DeSantis offered perhaps his clearest indication to date that he would run for president.

“If I were to run, I’m running against [President] Biden,” he said. “We are competing for the Republican [nomination], potentially, I get that, but ultimately you know the guy I’m going to focus on is Biden because I think he’s failed the country. I think the country wants a change. I think they want a fresh start and a new direction, and so we’ll be very vocal about that.”

For months now, Trump has taken to Truth Social to criticize DeSantis, calling the governor “Ron DeSanctimonius” and claiming that Republican establishment figures like former House Speaker Paul Ryan and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush are influencing the governor. Again on Thursday, the former president said that DeSantis is “finally admitting” that he’s entered the 2024 race.

“Now that Ron DeSanctimonious is finally admitting he’s in the Race by beginning to fight back, and now that his Polls have crashed so he has no other choice, let me explain the facts,” wrote Trump in a Truth Social post. “He is, for a Republican, an average Governor, he got 1.2 million less Votes in Florida than me, he fought for massive cuts in Social Security and Medicare, and wanted Social Security minimum age to be raised to 70-years-old, or more. He is a disciple of Paul Ryan, and did whatever Ryan told him to do.”