‘It’s His Prerogative’: Trump Predicts He ‘Would Win’ Primary Race Against DeSantis

Although a growing number of Republicans seem to want Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to throw his hat in the 2024 presidential ring, Donald Trump remains confident in his popularity.

During a recent interview with the New Yorker, Trump took credit for the governor’s meteoric rise within the GOP.

He went on to say that he believes DeSantis would lose if the two faced off in a 2024 primary race.

As The Guardian explained:

“If I didn’t endorse him [DeSantis], he wouldn’t have won,” Trump told the New Yorker, which published an in-depth story profiling DeSantis’s rise. The former president said that he and DeSantis had a “very good relationship”, adding “I’m proud of Ron.”

Trump endorsed DeSantis in 2017 over then-Republican frontrunner Adam Putnam after being impressed by the former athlete’s combative stance.

Trump, who could soon be forced to give testimony under oath in a New York state civil investigation into his business practices, said he was “very close to making a decision” about launching a third consecutive presidential run, which he has been hinting at ever since losing the 2020 election – a truth he still refuses to publicly accept.

“I don’t know if Ron is running, and I don’t ask him,” Trump said. “It’s his prerogative. I think I would win.”

The possibility that the two men will face each other ahead of the 2024 election has resulted in some speculation on social media.

Don’t make the Republican voters choose between Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump.

We need 4 more years of Trump and 8 years of DeSantis afterwards.

— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) June 20, 2022

At CPAC on stage they asked me which candidate I would vote for in a 2024 primary and I didn't even have to think about it

Donald J. Trump

This train has no brakes

— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) June 20, 2022

https://twitter.com/MarkDiamynd/status/1536912545604423680

Some conservatives are hoping that the two men team up to form the GOP ticket in two years.

Dream team 2024 Trump/DeSantis pic.twitter.com/dyBv06Eyyl

— 𝓙𝓾𝓼𝓽𝓔𝓭🐴 (@SaintEd61) June 22, 2022

Early polling seems to back up Trump’s confidence.

According to Newsmax:

Former President Donald Trump does not tend to hail results from a “left-leaning pollster,” but when he does it is because it has him as a 37-point favorite among Republicans for the 2024 GOP presidential primary.

The latest Morning Consult Poll found 53% of Republican voters picking Trump over Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis (16%).

“This from a left-leaning pollster, but thank you very much!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.

As the following video reveals, Tesla CEO Elon Musk appears to be undecided about whether he would back Trump or DeSantis in a potential matchup.