Former President Donald Trump is all but ruling out an alliance with his biggest rival for the Republican nomination.
Trump addressed the prospect of selecting Florida Gov. Ron Desantis as his vice presidential running mate in a Monday radio episode of the Todd Starnes Show, according to Floridaās Voice.
Trump all but ruled out the possibility ā while declining to completely close the door on the idea.
āI donāt like saying anything is like, impossible, but itās pretty unlikely, I would think,ā the former president said.
Trump suggested DeSantisā decision to challenge him for the Republican nomination may have cost him a chance to receive a vice presidential nod.
āI was very surprised that he did,ā Trump said, per Floridaās Voice, of the governorās decision to run for president.
āWithout that, it would have been a distinct possibility.ā
Trump repeatedly has taken credit for DeSantisā election as governor of Florida, suggesting he is responsible for his rivalāsĀ political career.
āLook, Rob DeSanctimonious came to me asking for help. He was losing badly, by 31 points, to popular Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam,ā Trump said of DeSantisā 2018 gubernatorial Campaign in a May Truth Social message.
āWith 3 LARGE TRUMP RALLIES, he WON THE GENERAL ELECTION in an upset. DISLOYAL!!!ā
DeSantis has proved more willing to criticize Trumpās tendency to address him with nicknames since announcing his presidential Campaign, doing so in a Thursday New Hampshire radio broadcast, according to Floridaās Voice.
āI think itās so petty. I think itās so juvenile,ā DeSantis said.
āI donāt think thatās what voters want, and honestly, I think that his conduct, which heās been doing for years now, I think thatās one of the reasons heās not in the White House now.ā
If Trump wins the Republican nomination and eyes DeSantis as a potential vice presidential pick, there would be an obscure constitutional obstacle.
Electoral College voters from Florida would be barred from Voting for a Trump-DeSantis presidential ticket ā in the event they were both running as citizens of Florida.
Article II of the Constitution requires electors to vote for one person who is not from their home state, jeopardizing Floridaās Electoral College votes in such a scenario, according to History.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
