Former US President Donald Trump has welcomed the decision of his rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, to drop out of the presidential race. This leaves Nikki Haley as the sole contender in New Hampshire, the second early voting state.
According to media reports, DeSantis, who dropped six points in New Hampshire, realized he had no chance against Trump, with even Haley leading him in the polls. While Trump's praise for DeSantis was lukewarm, describing him as someone he proposed as Florida governor and who became a "rocket ship" in 24 hours, he acknowledged DeSantis' disloyalty.
In an unusual move, Trump refrained from publicly mocking DeSantis, often referred to as "DeSanctimonious," and instead chose to praise him. Trump thanked and congratulated DeSantis on doing a "very good job," putting an end to months of bitterness and rivalry. Despite spending a significant amount on his campaign, DeSantis decided to end it two days before New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation GOP primary.
Trump's influence over the Republican Party was once again emphasized, with him stating, “He (DeSantis) was very gracious, and he endorsed me. I appreciate that, and I also look forward to working with Ron.” While DeSantis did not offer effusive praise for Trump, the former president showed little concern about the lack of endorsement, adopting a tone of camaraderie as fellow political combatants.
“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” said DeSantis, providing a matter-of-fact analysis during his announcement. Trump, in response, acknowledged the challenges of political campaigns and showed little concern about DeSantis' new approach, emphasizing the difficulty of such endeavors.
(With Agency Inputs)
