Why Donald Trump's Attack On Ron DeSantis Is Getting Pushback From Followers

Normally the darling of Republican-leaning media, Donald Trump got unexpectedly smacked by conservative commentators in the wake of his diss of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at the Pennsylvania Save America rally. Per Fox News, the pundits saw his move as being childish and divisive. Matt Walsh tweeted about Trump's "dumb nickname," adding, "Also, nice job launching your public attack against the most popular conservative governor in America three days before the midterms when we're all supposed to be showing a united front."

Blaze Media host Steve Deace called the insult "the political equivalent of Van Halen coming back with Gary Cherone on vocals. That's past your prime stuff. That's jumping the shark jumping the shark." Fox News contributor Ben Domenech simply snarked, "Needs work." David Reaboi of the Claremont Institute also took issue with Trump's choice of phrase: "[N]ot only is it a lame put-down, the word choice reveals insecurity: what could DeSantis be accused of being 'sanctimonious' about? Being right on Covid before anyone else, making Florida a free state while everyone else was scared and listening to Fauci." Left-leaning commentators were more amused than shocked. Washington Post reporter Josh Dawsey noted, "[Trump has] been saying this kind of stuff privately for many, many months."

Surprisingly, Donald Trump Jr. hasn't come to his dad's defense yet. He's currently busy helping the former president bolster Dr. Mehmet Oz's Senate campaign by mocking John Fetterman, the Democratic opponent, on his own Twitter feed.