DeSantis shrugs off Trump poll lead in Japan: ‘I’m not a candidate’
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to announce his bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination in a matter of days, deflected a reporter’s question Monday when asked about a series of polls showing him lagging former President Donald Trump.
“Governor, polls show you falling behind Trump. Any thoughts on that?” an English-speaking reporter asked DeSantis during a press conference in Tokyo.
“I’m not a candidate, so we’ll see if and when that changes,” the 44-year-old said. Footage of the exchange aired by CNN appeared to be edited to show the governor struggling for a response to the question.
DeSantis reportedly has said he intends to launch a White House run later this year, with an announcement expected sometime after the Florida legislative session wraps up May 5.
A recent Wall Street Journal poll of likely Republican Party primary voters revealed 51% backed the 76-year-old Trump, whereas 38% supported DeSantis and 11% were undecided — almost a reversal of the outlet’s December poll that had DeSantis at 52% support with Trump at 38%.
The Florida governor and his wife, Casey, were in Japan Monday to meet with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida — the first stop of a planned tour — and discussed what DeSantis called “security challenges in the region” involving North Korea and China.
Kishida, a protégé of the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, praised DeSantis for being governor of one of the first states to reopen following business and school lockdowns due to COVID-19. He also noted the Sunshine State was among the fastest-growing in the nation, which the US Census Bureau confirmed last year.
Trump enjoyed a close relationship with Abe, receiving gifts including a gold-painted golf club, another driver and putter that were later sought by House Democrats amid a foreign gifts probe.
A gunman assassinated Abe during a campaign speech in July 2022 — a rare instance of firearm violence in Japan that shocked world leaders.
“He was a true friend of mine and, much more importantly, America,” Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social. “This is a tremendous blow to the wonderful people of Japan, who loved and admired him so much. We are all praying for Shinzo and his beautiful family!”
DeSantis will travel next to South Korea and the United Kingdom, as well as to Israel to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Jewish state’s independence.
During his Tokyo stay, DeSantis appeared to throw shade at some of his Democratic peers when remarking during a state dinner on the cleanliness of the Japanese capital.
“Just going around Tokyo, I don’t think I’ve seen one piece of trash anywhere,” he was quoted as saying in the Wall Street Journal. “Florida, we do a pretty good job, but there are some other states, some other cities in other parts of the United States that could learn a thing or two.”
