He called him Ron DeSanctimonious, and, at that time, it seemed like a totally underwhelming nickname, nowhere near The Donald's standard.
But, according to sources close to the former president, Trump has another nickname for the Florida governor: Meatball Ron.
Shutdown Ron makes no sense, since DeSantis was among the first to stop the economic shutdown encouraged by Trump.Former President Donald Trump has reportedly been referring to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) as "Meatball Ron" ahead of the latter's expected 2024 White House bid.
Trump has insulted the popular Florida governor in casual conversations, per the New York Times, describing him as "Meatball Ron," a likely jab at his appearance, and "Shutdown Ron," for his actions putting restrictions in place at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But Meatball Ron, well that's classic Trump.
Yeah, it's apparently based on DeSantis' often red-faced appearance and his Italian heritage. But, hey, at least there's some humor there. Much more than Ron DeSanctimonious.When Italians hear the “Meatball Ron” nickname they’ve given Ron DeSantis: pic.twitter.com/XRJMgrDps1
— Prison Mitch (@MidnightMitch) February 13, 2023
Not everyone is a fan of the nickname:
Continue to full story here.I happen to like Meatballs. But this will turn off a lot of conservative voters. Not a wise move if true. I hope it’s not.https://t.co/ghLP1Q1M7A
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) February 14, 2023