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'Meatball Ron': Donald Trump rolls out new nickname for Florida Gov Ron DeSantis in private conversations ahead of 2024

Donald Trump also called Florida Gov Ron DeSantis 'Shutdown Ron' in reference to his state's lockdown at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic

MIAMI, FLORIDA: Former President Donald Trump is reportedly testing out some new nicknames for Florida Gov Ron DeSantis as tensions brew between the two potential 2024 rivals. The 45th POTUS is apparently referring to the young conservative icon as "Meatball Ron," likely referring to his appearance, in private conversations.

Trump is reportedly also calling DeSantis "Shutdown Ron" in reference to his state's economic and social lockdown at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. A new report suggested that the former president and his campaign were focusing on the pandemic response as a central talking point in their attacks against his biggest GOP rival.

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Trump's allies and staff are working day and night to dig up any details that would depict DeSantis as a "phony" over his administration's Covid response, according to The New York Times. DeSantis became a rising star during the pandemic as he spoke out against the Biden administration's public health policies, from vaccine mandates to remote learning. He has thus become a viable alternative to Trump, who many Republican voters appreciated but deemed too bombastic and divisive. It's worth noting that DeSantis did oversee early restrictions at the height of the pandemic in March 2020. He made these restrictions tougher in Broward and Palm Beach counties, shutting down their beaches, something Trump has targeted in recent weeks.

Speaking to CNN on his plane in January, Trump reportedly said that DeSantis was attempting to "rewrite history" on his governance during the pandemic. While DeSantis has not formally announced his candidacy for president, his refusal to rule out a potential primary challenge to Trump hasn't gone down well with the former president. Aside from his alleged snide nicknames, Trump has also ramped up his attacks against the governor in public. He mocked him as "Ron DeSanctimonious" on a number of occasions in recent weeks. The nickname debuted just before the midterm election races, prompting criticism from fellow Republicans for his "friendly fire."

Just last week, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to promote rumors that DeSantis partied with underage girls during his tenure as a teacher at a Georgia high school. He shared a follower's post of an image purported to be a young DeSantis alongside three girls around him whose faces were blurred out. "Ron DeSantis was having a "drink" party with his students when he was a high school teacher. Having drinks with underage girls and cuddling with them certainly look pretty gross and ephebophiliaesque," the post said. "No way?" Trump commented. "That’s not Ron, is it? He would never do such a thing!" the former president added in another post.

While Trump's abrasive attacks may appeal to his base, DeSantis' reserved demeanor appears to be resonating with a sizeable contingent of Republicans. A Monmouth University poll released on Thursday, February 9, indicated that DeSantis would beat Trump if the 2024 elections were held today. The Florida governor won 53% of the votes from Republican respondents in a hypothetical head-to-head primary, while Trump received just 40%. The poll was reportedly taken from January 26 through February 2.