- The crowd went quiet when Trump mocked Gov. Ron DeSantis during his rally speech in Waco, Texas.
- Trump claimed DeSantis begged him for an endorsement in 2018 with “tears in his eyes.”
- The crowd was only responsive when Trump mocked other people, like Stormy Daniels.
Former President Donald Trump’s jabs at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during a Saturday rally in Waco, Texas, were met with a muted response from his usually-adoring audience.
Trump during his speech said DeSantis begged him for an endorsement when running for Florida governor in 2018. Trump first made this unsubstantiated claim about DeSantis in February.
At his rally on Saturday, Trump said DeSantis had “tears in his eyes,” when asking for support in the gubernatorial race.
Trump then segued into a comedy bit where he pretended to be a sobbing DeSantis, saying: “Sir if you’ll endorse me I’ll win, please, please sir, endorse me.”
The crowd, which had been cheering up until that point, was notably subdued when Trump made these comments. The audience continued to be silent while Trump bragged about helping to get DeSantis elected and railed against the possibility that DeSantis may run against him in 2024.
“I’m not a big fan,” Trump said of DeSantis, calling the governor a “disciple” of former Speaker Paul Ryan, a vocal Trump critic.
In contrast, Trump’s rally crowd jeered loudly when he trash-talked other people. These included Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress alleging that Trump paid her hush money to keep her quiet about an affair; Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen; Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell; Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and Trump’s 2016 rival, former First Lady Hillary Clinton, among others.
Although DeSantis has not officially announced a 2024 presidential bid, he will be Trump’s biggest rival if he does choose to run.
Trump’s comments come as he is neck-deep in an investigation led by Bragg over his potential involvement in hush money payments to Daniels. Trump could face up to four years in prison if convicted.
Representatives of Trump and DeSantis did not immediately reply to Insider’s requests for comment made outside regular business hours.
