DeSantis refuses to get involved in the "sideshow"
As March 21 came and went without the one-term former president Donald Trump being arrested (as he'd predicted would happen), one of his strongest Republican Allies - Georgia's Marjorie Taylor-Greene - has been working overtime to defend his name and fight his corner.
Late on March 21, Taylor-Greene's anger appeared to be directed at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis - hotly rumored to be contemplating a run for the White House in 2024, competing against Trump (assuming he's still free to run by then).
She took to Twitter to condemn the Florida Republican for not apparently showing sufficient outrage or support for Trump in the days before his likely-arrest, claiming that:
"Any Presidential candidate that calls the political persecution of Trump a "sideshow" is not capable of the job."
DeSantis has no time for the distractions
MTG was referring to remarks on the episode that DeSantis had made during a press conference early in the week, in which he specified that he had more pressing business to attend to in governing Florida, than getting embroiled in Trump's dramas.
Taylor-Greene's objections towards DeSantis as a presidential candidate may be premature too. While DeSantis is rumored to be considering a campaign for the White House and has been touring the wider United States on a very transparent charm offensive to gain following and build profile.
There are rumors circulating amongst senior Republicans that the Florida Republican may lack the charm or charisma to win a presidential election, but given that Trump succeeded then it seems like anyone may have a chance.
MTG remains fiercely loyal to Trump
Since rumors of Trump's arrest started circulating, Marjorie Taylor-Greene has gone into overdrive, expressing her anger and defiance over the prospect and what she sees as the injustice of it. She first called-out that she felt that Trump had "always fought for the American people", and later called for a "scorched-earth" response in the form of civil disobedience and protesting if it occurred. On March 20 she tried to sell some of her merchandise off the back of Trump's forthcoming arrest.
Her passion may be down to her position as a potential running-mate for Trump in the 2024 presidential election. She's presumably not only keen to ensure that she gets her chance to campaign at Trump's side, but wants to cast doubt over the capabilities of anyone else who might challenge Trump as the Republican candidate.
Underwhelming protests after Trump called for action
Trump has also been unsurprisingly vocal about calling for his supporters to express their outrage at his treatment.
Their response though has been underwhelming to say the least. While some protests occurred in various locations (including in New York City), there were hardly scenes of chaos and carnage compared to what Trump might have expected.
In New York, a small gathering of the local Young Republicans gathered to speak against Trump's indictment. Marjorie Taylor-Greene had addressed this group in December 2022 to share how the January 6 insurrection might have been handled had she been leading it. Key in her speech was the revelation that under her leadership the protestors "would have been armed".
As to whether Ron DeSantis is concerned about her comments - it seems unlikely.
Do you think that Marjorie Taylor-Greene should be more focused on serving the interests of Georgians who voted for her, rather than Donald Trump? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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