Former President Donald Trump offered up rare praise for Ron DeSantis in response to the news that the Florida governor dropping out of the presidential race.
While speaking to supporters at the Trump campaign headquarters in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Sunday, the former president announced to the crowd that he had received DeSantis’ endorsement.
While the MAGA leader had relentlessly mocked the Florida governor since he launched his presidential bid, on Sunday Trump referred to DeSantis as a “very capable person” while speaking in New Hampshire.
A clip shared on X, formerly Twitter, shows Trump speaking to the crowd and responding to DeSantis’ endorsement.
“One of our opponents, a very capable person, is dropping out,” Trump told the crowd. “Ron is dropping out and in doing so he endorsed us.”
His comments were met with cheers and chants of “Trump, Trump, Trump.”
Newsweek reached out via email on Sunday night to DeSantis’ representatives for comment.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty
Former Trump Administration aide Daniel Scavino shared a video of the former president addressing the crowd after DeSantis’ announcement.
“@realDonaldTrump stops by the #TRUMP2024 Campaign Headquarters in Manchester, New Hampshire to deliver remarks and thank the incredible volunteers @TeamTrump,” Scavino posted on X.
On Sunday afternoon, DeSantis announced in a video shared on X that he had suspended his presidential campaign and was endorsing Trump.
The Florida governor urged Republicans to unite behind Trump, who is the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination.
“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” DeSantis said. “They’ve watched his presidency get stymied by relentless resistance and they see Democrats use lawfare to this day to attack him.”
DeSantis gave Trump his support while taking a parting shot at GOP rival, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
“Trump is superior to the current incumbent Joe Biden, that is clear. I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee and I will honor that pledge,” DeSantis said. “He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear. A repackaged form of warmed over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents. The days of putting Americans last, of kowtowing the large corporations, of caving to woke ideology are over.”
In response to Newsweek‘s request for an interview or comment, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said, “We put out a statement in a press release.”
In the online statement, the Trump campaign said it was “honored” by DeSantis’ support.
“With only a few days left until President Donald J. Trump’s victory in New Hampshire, we are honored by the endorsement from Governor Ron DeSantis and so many other former presidential candidates,” the statement from Trump’s campaign team read. “It is now time for all Republicans to rally behind President Trump to defeat Crooked Joe Biden and end his disastrous presidency.”
DeSantis announced he was exiting the 2024 presidential race about a week after he lost to Trump in the Iowa Republican caucus, where the former president received 51 percent of voter support compared to DeSantis’ 21.2 percent. Haley, who faces Trump in the New Hampshire primary election on Tuesday, received 19.1 percent of votes in Iowa.
As of Sunday night, Haley remains in the race. The former U.N. ambassador responded to the news of DeSantis dropping out during a campaign event on Sunday in Seabrook, New Hampshire.
“I want to say to Ron, he ran a great race,” Haley told the crowd. He’s been a good governor, and we wish him well. Having said that, it’s now one fella and one lady left.”
She added: “And this comes down to, what do you want? Do you want more of the same, or do you want something new. May the best woman win.”
Newsweek reached out via email on Sunday night to the Haley campaign for comment.
Trump’s campaign team, in the online statement, slammed the former president’s rival, saying Hayley “represents the views of the Democrats.”
“Nikki Haley is the candidate of the globalists and Democrats who will do everything to stop the America First movement,” the statement reads. “From higher taxes, to decimating Social Security and Medicare, and to open borders, she represents the views of Democrats more than the views of Republicans. It’s time to choose wisely.”
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.