During an engagement at WMUR’s “Conversation with the Candidate” event on Friday, GOP presidential contender and current Florida Governor Ron Desantis criticized former President Trump’s inclination to verbally attack and deride his political competitors, labeling such behavior as “childish” and “inauthentic.”
“Such disrespectful language is not genuine,” Desantis stated on Friday. “These comments are immature. It’s unbecoming for a world-leading nation to engage in this manner, and certainly not how the President of the United States should behave.”
While Desantis embraces healthy discourse, he insisted he would refrain from targeting someone’s looks. He also expressed his commitment to teaching his children the same values.
“We are raising a six, a five, and a three-year-old,” mentioned Desantis. “We instill in our children the golden rule of treating others as they would like to be treated.”
Desantis himself has been at the receiving end of Trump’s mockery, earning the moniker “Ron DeSanctimonious.” Despite the intent, Desantis shared in a past interview with Piers Morgan that he is rather fond of the nickname.
“I’m not exactly sure how to spell the ‘sanctimonious’ part. I’m not completely sure of its meaning, but there’s something appealing about it, given its length and its vowel-heavy nature,” Desantis reflected at the time.
Moreover, Desantis conveyed earlier this week that the derisive comments — such as being dubbed as devoid of “personality” and a “poor candidate” for governorship — have, paradoxically, boosted his campaign momentum.
“Primarily, when I receive such childish jabs, I perceive them as advantageous,” Desantis informed journalists. “I don’t believe the electorate appreciates this. They discern that it’s ineffective. Therefore, I don’t deem it successful.”
Nonetheless, recent poll aggregates continue to position Trump as the leading contender for the 2024 GOP nomination.
