Trump Asks Why DeSantis Hasn’t Said Won’t Run Against Him in 2024:

• Trump has been asking associates why DeSantis won’t say he won’t challenge him in 2024, the NYT reported. 
• “I wonder why the guy won’t say he won’t run against me,” Trump has reportedly said.
• Recent reports have suggested there’s a growing rift between Trump and DeSantis as 2024 approaches.

Former President Donald Trump has been questioning why Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who’s garnered a national profile among Republicans, hasn’t said he won’t run against him in 2024, according to a New York Times report.

“I wonder why the guy won’t say he won’t run against me,” Trump has said to several associates and advisors, who spoke to the Times on the condition of anonymity. Trump privately said it would be “the magic words” to hear DeSantis say he won’t challenge the former president in 2024, the report said.

Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider. 

There have recently been reports of a growing rift between Trump and DeSantis, who have generally been extremely close allies. The Florida governor’s political ambitions have seemingly touched a nerve with the former president. 

DeSantis has dismissed the notion that there’s any sort of spat between him and Trump. 

“I think this is what the media does,” DeSantis recently said when asked on the Ruthless podcast if there was any “animosity” between him and the former president.

“You cannot fall for the bait…you know what they’re trying to do, so just don’t take it. Just keep on keeping on. We need everybody united for a big red wave in 2022. We’ve gotta fight the left, and not only fight, but beat the left. And that’s what we’re doing in Florida,” DeSantis added. 

Christina Pushaw, the Florida governor’s spokesperson, echoed these sentiments in a statement to Insider. 

“It’s not a coincidence that this fabricated media narrative emerged during the worst week of Biden’s presidency to date, as it became clear Biden would not be able to deliver on Build Back Better, enact sweeping legislation to federalize elections, or ‘shut down the virus’ as he had promised during his campaign,” Pushaw said. 

But after…