KEY POINTS

  • Trump said DeSantis had "no personality" and lacked political skill
  • DeSantis has been at the center of concerns regarding his lack of charisma
  • Musk previously said he would support a DeSantis 2024 presidential bid

Former President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign team has criticized the scheduled 2024 presidential bid launch of Ron DeSantis on Twitter, calling it an "out-of-touch" strategy.

The Florida governor, who is deemed the strongest possible contender against Trump in the Republican race for the 2024 election, is expected to launch his campaign on Twitter Wednesday.

"This is one of the most out-of-touch campaign launches in modern history. The only thing less relatable than a niche campaign launch on Twitter, is DeSantis' after party at the uber elite Four Seasons resort in Miami," Karoline Leavitt, spokeswoman for Make America Great Again Inc., the PAC supporting Trump, told Politico Tuesday.

Leavitt added that more and more citizens "are realizing just how out of step Ron DeSantis is with their values and how unelectable he really is."

An unidentified Trump adviser also told the outlet that announcing a presidential run on Twitter was "perfect" for DeSantis. "This way he doesn't have to interact with people and the media can't ask him any questions," the adviser said.

Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign's spokesperson, nitpicked on a notice about DeSantis' announcement that incorrectly said the declaration was scheduled for March 24 instead of May 24.

"Amateur hour at the gator farm," Cheung said.

Trump and his team have been hurling attacks against DeSantis over the past months.

"He's got no personality. And I don't think he's got a lot of political skill," Trump said of DeSantis in an interview with The Messenger earlier this month.

DeSantis, who was a one-time ally of Trump, had been warned by the ex-president that he would be attacked on a personal level if he'd pursue a presidential bid in 2024.

In November 2022, Trump threatened to reveal hidden information about DeSantis, as per The New York Times. "I would tell you things about him that won't be very flattering – I know more about him than anybody – other than, perhaps, his wife," Trump said at the time.

Last month, Trump said DeSantis entering the GOP race "will only hurt and somewhat divide the Republican Party," adding that the Florida governor "will lose the cherished and massive MAGA vote, and never be able to successfully run for office again," The Hill reported.

While the Trump team continues to paint DeSantis as someone lacking the political skills and strategic moves that the ex-president has had over the years, some political observers noted that another problem for the 44-year-old Jacksonville native would be charisma.

Jonathan Martin, Politico's politics bureau chief, wrote in January that it was only recently that DeSantis started learning the ropes of social likability.

Political analyst Ed Kilgore also observed that some of the accounts telling the story of DeSantis' rise to the national stage included "references to his lack of people skills."

Aside from the ongoing attacks from the Trump team and questions about DeSantis' readiness to pursue likability, the former House representative also has to close the massive polling gap between him and his veteran rival.

On the other hand, DeSantis is poised to enter the GOP race with more than $100 million in campaign funds.

There have also been also reports about DeSantis gaining the support of more than 100 former officials who worked under the Trump administration.

People with knowledge of conversations surrounding the DeSantis camp told CNN that the team was looking to capitalize on an unpredictable campaign that should encourage contrasts between the younger, fresher candidate and his aging rivals.

The people revealed that the DeSantis team has also presented data indicating how another Trump nomination would put the GOP at a disadvantage in the same states where the ex-president lost to Democrat President Joe Biden in 2020.

In the past weeks, DeSantis and his team have reportedly been assuring donors, leaders and Republican operatives that they understand the heavy task of taking down Trump.

Wednesday's presidential bid launch could help boost DeSantis' popularity as he leverages Twitter owner Elon Musk's millions of followers, as per NBC News.

The Tesla CEO previously said he would support a DeSantis 2024 presidential run. He also noted that DeSantis had what it takes to easily defeat Biden.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks in Manchester
Florida's Ron DeSantis is reportedly launching his 2024 campaign on Twitter, and the Trump camp is not thrilled about it. Reuters