Former President Donald Trump made an announcement on Sunday regarding his nickname for Ron DeSantis, indicating that it is now “officially retired” after the Florida governor withdrew from the 2024 race for the Republican presidential nomination earlier in the day. The declaration was shared in a video posted by Trump aide Margo Martin on social media platform X.
Ron DeSantis’s decision to suspend his campaign and endorse Trump came just days before the New Hampshire primary, as reported by The Hill.
During a campaign event in New Hampshire on Sunday, Trump responded to a reporter’s question about whether he would continue using the “DeSanctimonious” nickname he had coined for DeSantis.
When asked if he would still use the “Ron DeSanctimonious” moniker, Trump replied, “That name is officially retired.”
The nickname “Ron DeSanctimonious” was first introduced by Trump in the lead-up to the 2022 midterm elections, amid speculation that Governor DeSantis might challenge Trump for the GOP nomination.
In response to the name-calling, DeSantis had previously described it as “petty” and “juvenile,” as reported by The Hill.
DeSantis offered an explanation for his endorsement of Trump, emphasizing his commitment to supporting the Republican nominee. He stated, “I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee, and I will honor that pledge. He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear: a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”
In response to DeSantis’s endorsement, Trump expressed that he felt “very honored” to have received it.
