As the Turning Point Action conference kicked off in West Palm Beach, Florida Saturday, support for former President Donald Trump's 2024 presidential bid was on full display. Trump took the opportunity in the Sunshine State to tell his biggest rival in the GOP presidential primary, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) to "get home."
The day saw speeches from Reps. Byron Donalds (R-FL), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), who have each endorsed the former president, as well as Tucker Carlson, and Trump himself. Remarks from several speakers took time to focus on support, or lack thereof, for Ukraine and Trump.
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Here are the biggest takeaways from the day:
Speakers and attendees rally around anti-Ukraine aid stance
The U.S.'s stance on providing aid to Ukraine was prominent throughout the day, also multiple speakers rallied the crowd against sending the country at war with Russia any more funds.
"I'm telling you right now and I'm sure my colleagues backstage will agree with me I will not vote to send our sons and daughters to die in Ukraine and I refuse to back any presidential candidate that will do that. Which is exactly why early on I endorsed President Trump for President," Luna told the crowd.
Gaetz reiterated his "America-first" stance, telling listeners that they are in "a battle for America," not one for Crimea, an area of Ukraine currently occupied by Russian forces. The crowd booed as speakers mentioned aid to the country and support for its defense forces and cheered in response to their rebukes of politicians who disagree.
Carlson, talking to the young crowd, questioned what he said is the default position of believing Russia is wrong in the conflict. The last speaker of the evening, Trump, repeated to attendees that he would end the Ukraine war in just 24 hours. Trump has claimed in the past that he is the only candidate who can prevent a third world war.
Tucker Carlson laughs about 'savaging Mike Pence' in Iowa exchange
Carlson, fresh off moderating a presidential forum with primary candidates, which Trump did not attend, at the Family Leadership Summit in Iowa, said "I don't want to take anyone in person on personal grounds or by name."
Seconds later, however, he called out one candidate in particular. "If I could make some general observations, which I think are more edifying than just like savaging Mike Pence...," he laughed.
The former Fox News host has been a notable critic of Ukraine and U.S. support for the country since the onset of the war. In questioning Pence on Friday, he asked, “You are distressed the Ukrainians don’t have enough American tanks. Every city in the United States has become much worse in the last three years. Where’s the concern for the United States in that?” the former vice president rejected Carlson's premise that the U.S. cannot address domestic issues while supporting Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion.
Video of the exchange had been framed afterward to suggest that Pence was not concerned with American issues. Carlson told attendees on Saturday that discussing the exchange with Pence would be "too easy" and compared it to "when you beat your five-year-old in soccer or ping pong."
Trump-DeSantis feud on full display
After facing backlash all week for criticizing Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) and missing the summit in Iowa, Trump took time to bash DeSantis during his speech. Speaking in Florida, Trump called on DeSantis to return home and do his job.
"Instead, DeSanctimonious and his establishment handlers are wasting precious resources to divide our party," he said. He then pointed to various insurance companies that are considering leaving the Sunshine State due to the rising costs of covering damages due to natural disasters. "Get home and take care of insurance," he demanded of DeSantis.
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DeSantis campaign Press Secretary Bryan Griffin responded to criticism from the former president in a statement, saying, "Governor DeSantis spent the day with Iowans and spoke to a packed house at the Tennessee GOP Statesman Dinner later that night. This was a day after he delivered the strongest interview at the Family Leadership Summit, which Donald Trump notably skipped. Ron DeSantis is campaigning to win."