When Ron DeSantis Refused to Become Donald Trump's Running Mate: "I'm Not Doing That"

Throwback to when former president Donald Trump released a list of possible vice presidential candidates if he is re-elected for the presidency. As per Huff Post, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy were among the six possible running mates that Trump announced to host Laura Ingraham during a Fox News town hall event in Greenville, South Carolina. “Are they all on your shortlist?” Ingraham asked.“They are,” Trump said while adding. “Honestly, all of those people are good. They’re all good. They’re all solid.” However, DeSantis ruled out the possibility by telling his supporters over a Zoom call, "People were mentioning me [as his vice president]. I'm not doing that," he confirmed.

"I know some people are really actively seeking it," he continued. "It seems to me, just from watching kind of the body language and stuff, that you have a handful of folks who seem to be auditioning for it." The Florida Governor rejected the notion and then blasted how he thought Trump and his group were selecting vice presidential candidates, saying, "I have heard that they're looking more in identity politics. I think that's a mistake." After withdrawing, DeSantis supported Trump, but he hasn't openly campaigned for the 2024 GOP runner since. The private call on Wednesday attracted over 200 participants, the majority of whom were individuals that DeSantis's team had sought out to serve as delegates at the Republican National Convention in July.

As per ABC News, DeSantis highlighted his dissatisfaction with conservative media sources for what he saw as their inadequate coverage of Trump throughout the race."You know, he said at some point, he can shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and not lose a vote. Well, I think he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and the conservative media wouldn't even report on it that it had happened. I mean, that's kind of where we're at," he said. He also hinted at a 2028 presidential run saying, "I think a lot happens in politics."

As per The Hill, GOP political strategist, Chris LaCivita blasted DeSantis on X calling him a "sad little man", "Chicken fingers and pudding cups is what you will be remembered for you sad little man," he tweeted in response to the Republican leader's political stance. LaCivita's scathing remarks highlight the deep resentment that some people in Trump's inner circle have for DeSantis—a dissatisfaction that had seemed to be momentarily soothed when the governor of Florida withdrew from the 2024 race and endorsed Trump.

“Now we have a diverse Republican Party. I want everybody in the fold, don’t get me wrong. But I don’t want people representing 10, 15% of the party is in the driver’s seat,” DeSantis privately told his supporters over the virtual call as per NBC News. “Ron DeSantis failed miserably in his presidential campaign and does not have a voice in selecting the next vice president of the United States,” another Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated in response. “Rather than throw cheap shots from afar, Ron should focus on what he can do to fire [President] Joe Biden and Make America Great Again.”

Editor's note: This article was originally published on February 24, 2024. It has since been updated.