Trump Lambasts Ex-Secretary Kayleigh McEnany for Fox News Comments on DeSantis
Former President Donald Trump has issued a sharp rebuke towards Kayleigh McEnany, his one-time White House Press Secretary, following her recent commentary on Fox News concerning Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' rising popularity in Iowa.
McEnany, during an appearance on Jesse Watters Primetime this Tuesday, discussed an emerging poll revealing that Trump's lead over DeSantis in Iowa has been reduced to a mere 25 points, down from a previously robust 34-point advantage.
"DeSantis' campaign would be the first to tell you that their latest poll numbers indicate they have narrowed the margin in Iowa by 9 points since their announcement," said McEnany, who was the voice of the Trump administration from April 2020 until January 2021. She added that, while Trump remains comfortably in the lead, DeSantis' camp would argue that the gap is steadily closing. "Current polls show Trump’s Iowa lead has dropped from 34 points to 25. That’s a significant reduction."
The remarks did not sit well with Trump, who swiftly took to Truth Social to criticize McEnany. Mislabeling her as “Milktoast” instead of the derogatory term "milquetoast," the former president also referred to McEnany, 35, as a "RINO," "globalist," and claimed she falls short of being a "real star."
"Kayleigh 'Milktoast' McEnany reported inaccurate poll numbers on FoxNews. My lead over DeSanctimonious is 34 points, not the 25 she mentioned. Although 25 is a decent lead, it's not the same as 34,” Trump posted Tuesday night. He went on to claim that McEnany knowingly shared incorrect poll numbers and suggested that she should be welcomed by the “RINOS & Globalists.” He also admonished Fox News to prioritize "REAL Stars."
This verbal joust between McEnany and Trump via Truth Social occurred shortly after DeSantis formally entered the race for the 2024 presidential election. In response to DeSantis’ campaign launch on May 24, Trump again used his Truth Social platform to critique the Florida governor, suggesting he lacked the charisma needed to secure a general election win.
In an accusatory post, Trump claimed that DeSantis had sought his endorsement when he was lagging in the 2018 gubernatorial race. According to Trump, DeSantis confessed that his only chance of winning was to secure Trump's endorsement. After Trump offered his support, DeSantis's fortunes allegedly shifted overnight, leading to a landslide victory in the general election after a series of large Trump rallies. Trump characterized DeSantis as "disloyal."