Russian State TV tunes in to Trump about 2024: “DeSantis looks more successful”

A pundit on Russian state television on Wednesday criticized former President Donald Trump’s decision to run for the US presidency again, instead calling Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis the “more successful” figure in the Republican Party.

After months of repeatedly teasing another presidential nomination, Trump formally announced Tuesday at his Mar-a-Lago, Fla., estate that he would seek the 2024 presidential nomination from the Republican Party. Several Republican lawmakers have already backed his third presidential bid, but Alan Dershowitz, a former attorney for the ex-president, has already expressed doubts about Trump’s chances of success.

The announcement came a week after the highly anticipated US midterm elections, which delivered disappointing results for Republicans who expected a “red wave.” Democrats retained control of the Senate, and while Republicans won more House seats, GOP gains weren’t as big as expected.

Several house races have yet to be called, but Republicans had secured 217 seats as of Wednesday afternoon, compared to 209 won by Democrats. That’s one seat fewer than the 218 Republicans needed for a majority in the House of Representatives.

in one clip Russian state television host Vladimir Solovyov, translated and shared on Twitter Wednesday by Julia Davis, a columnist for The Daily Beast, repeatedly questioned why Trump is making another bid for the White House.

“What the hell for? Why is he doing this? The red wave didn’t materialize,” Solovyov said. “They didn’t take over the Senate, not the majority in Congress they needed. Within the party, DeSantis looks more successful.”

“Is this an attempt to interrupt DeSantis? Or is that a gift for Biden?” he continued.

Solovyov’s comments were a departure from the praise he and other Russian media pundits have given Trump in the past. In July, he called Trump a “beauty” and expressed his desire for him to return as US President.

Both Trump and DeSantis’ names have emerged as top contenders for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, potentially setting the pair up for a rivalry. DeSantis hasn’t officially stated if he intends to run, but he did not commit to serving his full second term as governor in a debate last month.

Trump endorsed a large number of candidates in the midterm elections, and pundits believed he viewed the success of those races as a test of his continued power in the GOP. Trump-backed candidates ended up seeing mixed results in the elections and some particularly notable losses, such as in the Dr. Mehmet Oz for the US Senate in Pennsylvania.

news week reached out to Trump and DeSantis spokespersons for comment.