In an apparent attempt to redirect the upcoming-indictment-spotlight away from himself, former President Donald Trump posted about his nearest Republican rival, Ron DeSantis, warning that the Florida governor could be the next subject of allegations and accusations.
Trump took to his partisan social media site, Truth Social, saying:
“Ron DeSanctimonious will probably find out about FALSE ACCUSATIONS & FAKE STORIES sometime in the future, as he gets older, wiser, and better known, when he’s unfairly and illegally attacked by a woman, even classmates that are “underage” (or possibly a man!). I’m sure he will want to fight these misfits just like I do!”
He made this comment on a repost of a commonly-pedaled DeSantis story to the effect that the governor partied with underage girls when he was a high school teacher in Georgia. The photo and story Trump took the opportunity to repost has been circulating since 2021, when a news website called HillReporter.com ran it with the headline “Ron DeSantis Accused of Attending Drinking Party With Students At High School Where He Taught,” which you can see another repost of below, if you care to check it out.
DeSantis taught history at Darlington School, a day and boarding K through 12 institution, when he was 23 years old after graduating from Yale University, but before he went to Harvard Law School. In a report about his time at the school, The New York Times revealed that “Several students recalled that Mr. DeSantis was a frequent presence at parties with the seniors who lived in town.”
Pretty classic move from the Trump playbook here, distract and blame someone else. DeSantis, for his part, responded to the rumor last month after Trump posted the photo that’s been running along with the story. DeSantis has yet to attack Trump publicly, though, even though the former president has goaded him onto it many times. He even took the high road last month, but who knows how much longer that’s going to last, especially with Trump upping the ante with his continued attacks.
“I spend my time delivering results for the people of Florida and fighting against Joe Biden…I don’t spend my time trying to smear other Republicans,” the Governor said in response to the accusations, per Newsweek. In addition to more or less calling DeSantis a predator during his teaching tenure, Trump’s accused the Governor of being a “RINO globalist,” claimed that he “loved” COVID vaccines, and that Trump alone was responsible for DeSantis’ success.
Just to recap, we have a former President, himself accused of paying off a porn star, accusing another rival politician of being a pedophile — or, possibly, of being gay? In any case, welcome to the 2024 presidential primary season, everybody.