Trump claims Florida governor DeSantis would have ended up at pizza joint without his endorsement

Former US President Donald Trump, on Saturday, fired the sharpest rebuke against Florida governor, his biggest potential rival for the 2024 GOP nomination, Ron DeSantis. Trump, in a lengthy rant, chained that he endorsed DeSantis in the 2018 Florida governor's race. The former Republican leader asserted that without his backing, DeSantis would have ended up working at a pizza place or a law firm.

Trump maintained that DeSantis would have been employed at a “pizza parlour place” without his support in the gubernatorial race in the year 2018. Trump, previously, had stated that DeSantis is a man “who hasn’t shown sufficient loyalty to the man who made him,” referring to himself.

DeSantis ‘came to me desperate shape’: Trump

“Ron came to me in desperate shape in 2017…when I endorsed him,” said Trump. It was as though…a nuclear weapon went off,” Trump said on Truth Social. “When I hear [DeSantis] might run, I consider that very disloyal,” he maintained, condemning DeSantis’ decision of running in the 2024 contest.

In a February interview, last year, Trump similarly fumed at DeSantis saying that the Florida governor was elected “because of me.” In his remarks, Trump noted, “You remember, he had nothing, he was dead, he was leaving the race, he came over and he begged me, begged me, for an endorsement. He was getting ready to drop out. He said, ‘If you endorse me, I’ll win,’ and there were tears coming down from his eye,” Trump said about Florida governor.

Trump’s slandering of his political rival comes as he termed the January 6 rioters who remain in prison, as “hostages.” MAGA supporters who attempted to halt the certification of the US President Joe Biden, were convicted by a jury and sentenced to serve, which Trump claims was unfair.

"They ought to release the J6 hostages. They’ve suffered," Trump said. ”I call them hostages. Some people call them prisoners. I call them hostages. Release the J6 hostages Joe. Release them Joe. You can do it real easy, Joe."

Trump has vowed, if elected to the White House, he would pardon all the resurrectionists who were arrested on January 6 and were charged in connection with the riot at the Capitol building.