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A top Trump campaign official blasted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after the former GOP presidential candidate privately urged former President Donald Trump to not use "identity politics" when picking his running mate.
"chicken fingers and pudding cups is what you will be remembered for you sad little man," Chris LaCivita, who co-manages Trump's campaign, wrote on X in response to a news article about DeSantis' comments.
LaCivita's blistering statement underlines the intense displeasure some in Trump's orbit have for DeSantis, feelings that once appeared to be temporarily squashed after the Florida governor dropped out of the 2024 contest and endorsed Trump. The top GOP strategist also referenced a now-infamous Daily Beast report that claimed DeSantis once ate chocolate pudding with his hands.
According to NBC News, DeSantis privately told people who supported his presidential bid that he did not want to be Trump's running mate and that the former president should be careful in how he selects the potential future Vice President of the United States.
"Now we have a diverse Republican Party. I want everybody in the fold, don't get me wrong. But I don't want people representing 10, 15% of the party being in the driver's seat," DeSantis told supporters on the call, according to audio NBC obtained.
DeSantis may have also insulted Susie Wiles, a one-time ally who along with LaCivita leads Trump's campaign, during the call. According to NBC, the Florida governor blamed certain people in Trump's orbit for the former president's treatment of him.
"I think he's got people in his inner circle who were part of our orbit years ago that we fired, and I think some of that is they just have an ax to grind," DeSantis said during the call.
Earlier this week, Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham that all six of her suggested names, DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Rep. Bryon Donalds of Florida, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, and former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard were all on his list too. Trump's agreement that DeSantis, whom the former president humiliated for months, was being considered raised some eyebrows.
While not mentioned directly, DeSantis might be referring in part to Kellyanne Conway's lengthy New York Times op-ed that concluded the former president should tap "a person of color" as his running mate. Conway, who was a top Trump White House official, stressed that such a choice would not be "identity politics" but rather a way to help lead a diverse movement that supports Trump. She specifically mentioned Scott, Ramaswamy, former HUD Secretary Ben Carson, Donalds, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, and Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas as possible choices.
A representative for DeSantis did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
