OpinionDiscover the controversy surrounding Ron DeSantis’ comments on serving as Vice President. Learn why he believes choosing the best person for the job is more important than identity politics. The Donald Trump campaign put Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on blast after comments he made on a private call surfaced indicating that he had no interest in serving as Vice President. NBC News reported on the phone conversation with supporters in which DeSantis urged Trump to avoid “identity politics” in choosing a running mate while dismissing calls for him personally to join the ticket. “I have heard that they’re looking more in identity politics. I think that’s a mistake,” he added. “I think you should just focus on who the best person for the job would be, and then do that accordingly.” It’s actually a reasonable concept and something Republicans have complained drives Democrats in every decision – race and gender. According to the NBC report, DeSantis also squashed the idea of joining Trump’s campaign as his Vice President. “People were mentioning me. I am not doing that,” he said. DeSantis has long insisted that he would not join the Trump ticket even after leaving the presidential race. He also predicted that Trump would staff his White House with “yes men” who would do his bidding. To say the Trump campaign didn’t appreciate DeSantis’ comments would be a massive understatement. Campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt responded, “Ron DeSantis failed miserably in his presidential campaign and does not have a voice in selecting the next vice president of the United States.” “Rather than throw cheap shots from afar, Ron should focus on what he can do to fire [President] Joe Biden and Make America Great Again,” she added. Trump’s campaign turned it into a bizarre political ad against the Florida governor. Trump has offered up a few names to his list of vice presidential candidates, including Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Florida GOP Rep. Byron Donalds, and South Carolina Gov. Kristi Noem. He did, actually also include DeSantis on that list during a Fox News town hall event earlier this week. During the private call, DeSantis refused to rule out another run for the White House in 2028. “Oh, I haven’t ruled anything out,” he said. “I mean … we’re still in this election cycle. So it’s presumptuous to say, you know, this or that. I think a lot happens in politics.”
Trump Campaign Rattles Ron DeSantis with Revelation of Private Call: Vice Presidency Off the Table
