Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rushed to defend Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after former President Donald Trump dubbed the Republican “Ron DeSanctimonious” at a rally Saturday evening.
“Not tired of winning. @GovRonDeSantis you’ve proven conservative policies work. Florida is better for it. Vote for @GovRonDeSantis,” Pompeo tweeted Saturday evening.
The comment came as Trump held a rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania on Saturday ahead of Tuesday’s Election Day.
“We’re winning big in the Republican Party for the nomination like nobody’s ever seen before,” Trump told the crowd before listing other Republicans who could potentially challenge him in 2024.
“There it is, Trump at 71%, Ron DeSanctimonious at 10%,” Trump told the crowd while reading approval numbers of various Republicans.
Trump and DeSantis are widely considered the two top Republican contenders for the 2024 presidential race and reports have circulated about possible growing tension between the two. DeSantis, however, quashed reports about such tensions earlier this year, calling Trump a “friend of mine.”
“He wants to see Republicans doing well,” DeSantis told Fox News in February. “And I think when media is trying to act like he’s upset at me for doing well, I think that’s total bunk. I think they’re just making it up.”
Pompeo – who served as CIA director during the Trump administration before becoming secretary of state from 2018 until the close of the Trump White House – has also been floated as a potential contender in the 2024 race.
Pompeo told CBS last month that he’ll officially make a decision on running for the White House by spring of 2023. He added that if Trump officially runs in 2024, it would not deter him from also making a bid for the White House, but noted he would vote for Trump with “no hesitation” if the former president became the nominee for the GOP.
Pompeo currently works as a distinguished fellow for the Hudson Institute. Fox News Digital reached out to the conservative think tank Sunday morning regarding Pompeo’s tweet on DeSantis but did not immediately receive a reply.