On Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded to Donald Trump’s sharing of a photo alleging the governor drank alcohol with minors when he was a high school teacher. The post accused him of partying and drinking with high school girls. DeSantis responded during a press conference in Ocala, Florida, saying, “I spend my time delivering results for the people of Florida and fighting against Joe Biden. That’s how I spend my time. I don’t spend my time trying to smear other Republicans.” Amid attacks from the former president, DeSantis has generally stayed away from firing shots back. Instead, he tends reply with more subliminal messages, choosing to focus on his current job of governor.
DeSantis is widely viewed as Trump’s biggest contender for the 2024 Republican nomination for president. He is referred by some to “Trump with a brain” or “Trump without the baggage,” but DeSantis has a strong track record of his own to lean on in the coming two years. Among the differences between Trump and himself is a message of discipline.
According to MSN:
DeSantis addressed that piece of the question — saying his goal with new legislation to empower non-public figures in libel suits against the press — but also hit Trump directly for his attacks, without naming him. It was clear that he expected the question and was prepared and wanted to answer it.
The picture Trump shared Tuesday shows a 23-year-old DeSantis smiling between three women with blurred out faces, whose ages aren’t clear. One of the females in the photos is holding a brown glass bottle but DeSantis isn’t pictured drinking. Still, the caption reads, “Here is Ron DeSantimonious grooming high school girls with alcohol as a teacher,” followed by the vomit emoji.
“That’s not Ron, is it? He would never do such a thing!” Trump wrote sarcastically on his social media app, Truth Social
It is clear that this will not be the last time DeSantis will have to respond to an attack from Trump but so far the governor has done well to not drawn into the mud. Reports say he may announce his intentions to run in 2024 in the coming months, which is sooner than first expected.
