Donald Trump praises FL Gov. Ron DeSantis in supercut of comments

Former President Donald Trump repeatedly praised Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis while in office before his campaign issued a scorching statement on the Sunshine State’s top elected official Friday that’s been among numerous insults leveled against his GOP rival.

The past comments from Trump emerged on social media Friday and garnered plenty of attention online for the sharp contrast to Trump’s recent rebukes of the Florida governor. DeSantis, who has not announced his intentions for 2024 yet, appears to be the toughest competition for Trump who is looking to retake the White House.

Trump’s 2024 campaign on Friday slammed the Sunshine State – where the 45th president now lives – and DeSantis, calling the governor’s record “one of misery and despair.” The statement, from Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung, claimed DeSantis’ “shadow campaign” for office has allowed Florida “to tumble into complete and total delinquency and destruction.”

His campaign also said Florida has become “among the worst states” in the country under DeSantis’ leadership.

But a compilation of old taped remarks posted online Friday from when Trump was president shows him constantly lauding DeSantis as a “great governor.”

“Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis has done a spectacular job in Florida,” Trump said in one old clip from the Oval Office with DeSantis sitting next to him. “He enjoys very high popularity and that’s for a reason. The reason is he’s doing a good job.”

Additional clips show Trump complimenting DeSantis on his handling of the coronavirus and in one video while on the 2020 campaign trail, he called him “one of the greatest governors in the country.”

The smashup of pro-DeSantis comments by Trump were first reported on by Mediaite.

The video was retweeted by a pro-DeSantis PAC called Never Back Down, the outlet reported.

While DeSantis, 44, has yet to reveal his plan for 2024, it’s widely speculated he will run for president and polls indicate he’d be the biggest threat to Trump, who lost reelection to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.

Trump’s 2024 campaign has repeatedly slammed DeSantis, including in Friday’s blistering statement that claims due to DeSantis, Florida has become one of the worst states to live, find economic opportunity, work, retire, raise a family, pay taxes, be safe, rent a home, afford energy and die.

DeSantis, who was first elected governor in 2018, easily clinched reelection in 2022.

Hours after Friday’s harsh statement was released, Trump appeared at a campaign rally where he called Florida a “great state” and “great place.”

“I’m thrilled to be here with the proud, hard-working patriots of the great state of Florida. It’s a great state. Great place,” Trump told an audience during remarks at the Lee County Lincoln-Reagan Dinner in Ft. Myers.