Trump and DeSantis Drift Apart as Both Eye 2024 White House Bid

Neither former President Donald Trump nor Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have formally announced a bid for the Republican nomination in the 2024 Presidential Election, but a growing division between the two Republican stars is leading many across the spectrum to predict both sides are preparing for a face off. The most recent sign of growing animosity came when Trump announced he would hold a rally in Florida days before the midterm elections, inviting Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) but not DeSantis.

Key Quotes: CNN quoted an anonymous source in the DeSantis campaign who characterized the Trump-DeSantis relationship as “cool,” but added, “we’re not helping them and they’re not helping us.” The Washington Examiner quoted Spiro Kiousis, the executive associate dean at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, assessing the relationship of the 2024 potentials, saying “they have both been sort of mutually keeping an eye on each other, but no one's really made any sort of move yet.”

For Context: Trump endorsed DeSantis in the 2018 Florida Gubernatorial race, which DeSantis narrowly won. Should Trump decide to run, he would be the favorite for the nomination.

How the Media Covered it: Growing speculation across the spectrum points to Trump and DeSantis competing for the 2024 Republican nomination. Most outlets pointed to DeSantis dodging a question about serving a full term as governor in a recent debate as evidence he intends to run for President in 2024.