Bad blood persists between Trump and DeSantis as both of them reject VP speculation

The fight between Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination may be over, but many of those involved aren’t ready to put down their guns just yet.

Allies of the two men and even the Florida governor himself have continued to trade insults over the past week even as Mr Turmp has turned his focus solidly to Nikki Haley, his last remaining rival for the GOP nomination. The former ambassador and governor has vowed to remain in the race after suffering her fourth defeat in a state primary or caucus this Saturday in South Carolina, her home state.

But while Mr Trump has remained above the continued fray with Mr DeSantis, his ex-rival seemed almost eager to drag down the former president’s image among hardcore conservatives last week on a conference call with delegates pledged to his campaign as part of the primary process. On that call, first reported by NBC News and Politico, Mr DeSantis brushed off speculation that Mr Trump was considering him as a possible running mate and reportedly suggested that he wasn’t interested either.

And the reason for that supposed disinterest in the former president’s party? “Identity politics”, according to the former governor: Code for his disdain for the idea that Mr Trump was considering the appeal of adding a woman or person of colour to his ticket.

He said, according to NBC News: “I want everybody in the fold, don’t get me wrong. But I don’t want people representing 10, 15 per cent of the party being in the driver’s seat.”

Mr DeSantis’s comments possibly referred to speculation that Mr Trump was considering Tim Scott, the South Carolina senator who dropped out of the 2024 race before the Iowa Caucuses, as a possible VP pick. Mr Scott is the Senate’s lone Black