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Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis denies he's running a 2024 presidential campaign but did launch a book tour. He's already raised the ire of Republicans after having former President Donald Trump's supporters removed from outside a book signing event.
DeSantis had local authorities make "anyone wearing a Trump shirt" or anyone with "Trump gear" leave the event, which was heled inside a Books-A-Million in Leesburg, Florida.
Footage of Trump's supporters being forced to leave was shared by Laura Loomer, a known conspiracy theorist and White nationalist who has worked for Project Veritas, a right-wing propaganda group known for producing secretly recorded and deceptively edited undercover audio and video investigations of media organizations and left-leaning groups.
Loomer called DeSantis "anti-free speech" in a post to her official Twitter account.
\u201cMUST WATCH: I\u2019m at the Leesburg, FL mall outside of Books A Million for my pro-Trump rally with @Villagers4Trump, & @GovRonDeSantis & his staff ordered the police to make \u201canyone wearing a Trump shirt\u201d or anyone with any \u201cTrump gear\u201d to leave!\n\nRon DeSantis is anti-free speech!\u201d— Laura Loomer (@Laura Loomer) 1677623481
Loomer—who had organized the Trump rally—said police had explicitly been ordered to "remove anyone in Trump gear."
\u201cA group of Trump supporters and members of @Villagers4Trump showed up to my rally in front of Books A Million for @GovRonDeSantis book signing and we had the police called on us. As you can hear from the video, DeSantis told the police to kick out anyone in Trump gear!\u201d— Laura Loomer (@Laura Loomer) 1677623481
In another video Loomer posted, a security officer can be heard saying he was told to remove “anyone pro-Trump”.
\u201cWATCH: Here are some of the seniors from The Villages who had the cops called on them today at the order of @GovRonDeSantis and his staff in Leesburg, FL simple because they were \u201cwearing Trump gear\u201d. \n\nSecurity officer even said on video he was told to remove \u201canyone Pro Trump\u201d.\u201d— Laura Loomer (@Laura Loomer) 1677623481
The news angered many of Trump's supporters, who proceeded to attack DeSantis.
\u201c@LauraLoomer @Villagers4Trump @GovRonDeSantis Little Ron can\u2019t handle BIG DON!\u201d— Laura Loomer (@Laura Loomer) 1677623481
\u201c@LauraLoomer @Villagers4Trump @GovRonDeSantis Absolutely outrageous!\u201d— Laura Loomer (@Laura Loomer) 1677623481
\u201c@LauraLoomer @Villagers4Trump @GovRonDeSantis Starting to show his true colors finally\u201d— Laura Loomer (@Laura Loomer) 1677623481
\u201c@LauraLoomer @Villagers4Trump @GovRonDeSantis I can\u2019t believe we got to this point. I hope that people will start waking up and see how some are backstabbing people who helped them.\u201d— Laura Loomer (@Laura Loomer) 1677623481
\u201c@LauraLoomer @WarlordDilley @Villagers4Trump @GovRonDeSantis Not a good look. At all.\u201d— Laura Loomer (@Laura Loomer) 1677623481
\u201c@LauraLoomer @Villagers4Trump @GovRonDeSantis Ron DeSoros is bought by George Soros, went to Yale, is most likely Skull \u2620\ufe0f Bones alumni and he\u2019s loved by the Bush oligarchy.\n\nRhonda Soros is controlled opposition.\u201d— Laura Loomer (@Laura Loomer) 1677623481
DeSantis is Trump's biggest competition for the Republican presidential nomination for 2024—and Trump hates it.
Last month, Trump reposted a meme of DeSantis "grooming high school girls with alcohol" on his Truth Social platform.
The photo Trump shared originated on Hill Reporter, a blog run by a Democratic Super PAC. The story behind the image is from The New York Times which reported in November, citing anonymous former students, DeSantis partied with seniors, attending at least two parties where alcohol was served.
Trump's attack against DeSantis came just two hours after DeSantis praised an attorney representing Dominion Voting Systems in their lawsuit against MyPillow CEO and Trump ally Mike Lindell.
DeSantis has not made an official announcement about a 2024 run but Trump has attacked him just the same, raising the ire of conservatives after referring to DeSantis as "Ron DeSanctimonious" during a recent rally.