Donald Trump rips on DeSantis and Haley at President's Day rally: "Hit your enemy early"
West Palm Beach, Florida - Donald Trump gave a big President's Day speech, where he laid out what he described as his "common sense agenda."
The event took place on Monday night at the Hilton Palm Beach Airport Hotel in Florida, with a long line of Trump supporters wrapped around the property anxiously waiting to see the former commander-in-chief.
"The 2024 election is our one chance to save our country, and we need a leader who is ready to do that on day one," the former president told the crowd. "I wonder who that may be."
The event was hosted by Club 45, a corporation started by Trump supporters who seek to help his re-election efforts. Named after Trump being the 45th president, the group announced on Monday they are changing their name to Club 47 to show just how down with the Don they are.
Trump spoke for over an hour, dishing out all his classic MAGA hits, from his disdain for immigrants to how Democrats are destroying America.
He claimed America under current President Joe Biden has become more "communist" and "Marxist," concepts considered kryptonite to right-wingers.
He also hit on transgender athletes, stating, "We will keep men the hell out of women's sports!" which was met with an eruption of cheers.
Trump even asserted that "Putin never, ever would have gone into Ukraine if I were president."
And Trump, of course, couldn't help but take a few digs at some of his rivals in the upcoming Republican primaries.
Donald Trump takes shots at Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley
Donald Trump made his campaign announcement back in November. For a while, he was the only one in the Republican race, until his former US ambassador Nikki Haley stepped in.
Haley said in the past that she wouldn't run for the Republican ticket if Trump would, but seemed to take it back when she announced she was joining the race for the presidency earlier this month. Trump has seemed to be sour about it ever since, quickly going on the offensive and attacking her with a scathing press release shortly after.
"I always say hit your enemy a little early. Some people say don’t. But I say do," he told the crowd in Florida on Monday, adding that she didn't stand a chance against him, as she is currently polling at "no percent."
Trump also hit at his old pal "Meatball Ron" DeSantis.
"Ron DeSanctimonious had a crowd on Staten Island today," he reportedly said. "139 people on Staten Island. We've got a lot of people. We've got 139 times 30."
"I don’t like hitting Republicans. I really don't." he went on, although his recent record has shown otherwise. "But I did get 1.2 million more votes than Ron. 1.2 million more votes. Nobody wants to mention it. The press refuses to mention it… They know I got 1.2 million votes more than Ron.
"And Ron did good in Florida, but I did great. And, and we won it very easily."
Donald Trump has another event on Wednesday in East Palestine, Ohio where a train carrying hazardous materials derailed earlier this month and has sparked national debate.
Cover photo: Giorgio VIERA / AFP