DeSantis is terrified of angering Trump — so he's mounting a 2024 'shadow campaign': report

As he eyes a potential 2024 presidential bid, Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis is "very wary" of doing anything to upset former president Donald Trump, according to a report from Politico's Matt Dixon.

Since being defeated by President Joe Biden in November, Trump has not definitively said whether he plans to seek another term.

Last week, DeSantis surprised many Republicans when he defeated Trump 74-71 in the annual Western Conservative Summit's straw poll.

"He [DeSantis} will take measures so that Trump won't get mad at him, but believe me, the more successful you are, with Trump, sometimes makes it worse. It's a weird spot to be in for sure," one GOP consultant who is close to DeSantis told Politico.

DeSantis is one of several potential Republican presidential candidates who are "walking the impossible 2024 Trump tightrope" — trying to attract the former president's supporters without angering him, CNN reports. According to NPR, DeSantis and others including Nikki Haley, Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo have effectively been running "shadow campaigns" for the GOP nomination.

In an April interview with Fox Business, Trump took credit for DeSantis' success but threw cold water on the Florida governor's presidential aspirations, saying he would instead make a good running mate. Meanwhile, Trump's former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who is now assisting DeSantis, doesn't believe he would run against Trump.

Trump is scheduled to hold a "revenge tour" rally in Sarasota on July 3 — but DeSantis' office did not indicate whether the governor will attend.