Former President Donald Trump has turned on several Republican leaders around the United States after claiming that he would endorse and support them.
Trump maintains a constant lead in the 2024 Republican presidential primaries, holding a substantial lead over most candidates who have come forward. He has continued to distance himself from several political leaders in the party who he claims have been disloyal. These include prominent state governors who have helped push the Republican president's plans within their states but have become critical of Trump recently. Some have merely declined to express explicit support for Trump, a decision that Trump seems to find troubling.
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Here are three noteworthy leaders who Trump has turned on.
Kim Reynolds
Trump slammed the Iowa governor on Monday for remaining neutral in the heavily packed 2024 Republican primary. Trump alleged in a Truth Social post that he had "opened up the Governor position for Kim Reynolds, & when she fell behind, I ENDORSED her, did big Rallies, & she won."
"Now, she wants to remain 'NEUTRAL.' I don’t invite her to events! DeSanctus down 45 points!" Trump added. The former president endorsed Reynolds in 2018, helping her win a full term in 2018 with 50.3% of the vote. She was reelected in 2022 with a broader margin despite Trump's remarks.
Ron DeSantis
The most prominent example of Trump's about-face with former allies is Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who is Trump's top GOP challenger for the party's presidential nomination in 2024. While DeSantis is the leading candidate to take Trump on, the former president continues to hold a significant lead over him in the polls.
Trump has slammed DeSantis as "disloyal" for running against him and has made him the primary target of his attacks online and at rallies.
Trump regularly attacked DeSantis during the buildup to his campaign announcement, claiming that he helped get the Florida Republican elected in 2018 and that DeSantis' policies were successful due to him.
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Brian Kemp
While the Georgia governor is in many ways an ideal supporter of Trump's political views, he earned the president's ire during the 2020 elections when he declined to take action over his state's votes after Trump lost Georgia.
Trump has regularly slammed Kemp, even going as far as to endorse former Sen. David Purdue to replace Kemp in the Georgia Republican primary. Trump's endorsement failed to win Purdue the election, with Kemp receiving 73% of the primary vote over Purdue.