Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis may have just earned a new nickname from former President Donald Trump but, surprisingly, he seems to be embracing it.
During a recent preview of an interview with Piers Morgan, set to air on Fox Nation, DeSantis was asked which of Trump's potential nicknames he preferred. The choices were reportedly "Ron DeSanctimonious" or "Meatball Ron."
DeSantis admitted that he didn't know how to spell "DeSanctimonious," nor did he know what it meant. However, the governor expressed that he was fond of the name because it was long and had a lot of vowels.
You can hear what DeSantis said in the video below.
DeSantis said:
"I don't know how to spell DeSanctimonious. I don't really know what it means but I kind of like it."
"You know, you can call me whatever you want. I mean, just as long as you, you know, also call me a winner. Because that's what we've been able to do in Florida, is put a lot of points on the board and really take the state to the next level."
Despite the playful banter, DeSantis also took a rare shot at Trump during the interview. When asked about the former president's relationship with the truth, DeSantis didn't hold back.
He said:
"Look, I think with some of these things, it's like, there's things that have been said, that are not true. I think, you know, one of the great things about Florida is that, when we're doing stuff, we're getting results."
But neither DeSantis' interview nor his claim about the nickname were particularly well received.
DeSantis and Trump were once political allies, with Trump endorsing DeSantis for governor in 2018. However, rumors of DeSantis' own White House ambitions have reportedly created a rift between the two.
Regardless of any personal differences, DeSantis said he remains focused on continuing to lead Florida towards success, telling Morgan that he and his team are "really excited about what we've been able to accomplish" and that "we're just getting started, so we're going to keep at it."
