Trump mocks DeSantis for ’emergency Round the World tour’

Former President Trump on Monday mocked what he called an “emergency Round the World tour” from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) as the governor takes off on a multistop international trip amid 2024 speculation. 

“The ‘Consultants’ are sending DeSanctus, and demanding he go immediately, on an emergency Round the World tour of U.S representative population countries, like South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Israel, in order to up his game and see if he can remove the stain from his failing campaign,” Trump said on Truth Social.

DeSantis, who hasn’t officially announced a 2024 bid, is on the four-country trip to “build on economic relationships Florida has with each country,” his office said.

“Bad poll numbers! Perhaps he can, and perhaps he can’t, who really knows, but he’ll have plenty of time to think as he sits alone, on his tax payer funded airplane, riding it out and thinking, WHY???” Trump added. 

Polling has indicated DeSantis could be a top potential challenger to Trump, who is running for the White House in 2024. But in Japan Monday, DeSantis sidestepped a question about polls that now show him falling behind Trump.

“I’m not a candidate, so we’ll see if and when that changes,” he said.

Although the Florida governor isn’t officially in the race, Trump has repeatedly attacked DeSantis and tried to discourage him from launching a bid.