Ron DeSantis is challenging the the former POTUS to take his juvenile name calling back to grade school.
Republican presidential hopefuls Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy talked about their faith and tackling Trump during a Family Leader’s Presidential Thanksgiving Forum in Des Moines, Iowa, ahead of the state caucuses.
The forum was led by Family Leader President and CEO Bob Vander Plaats.
Vander Plaats brought up some of Trump’s demeaning terms for his foes like “DeSanctimonious” for DeSantis and “Bird Brain” for Haley.
He explained how he personally has been on the receiving ends of mean speak, being called names and, "I’m not running for anything."
He then asked the candidates: "My question is how do we raise the bar of expectation again for our children and our grandchildren and those saying: 'That's a minister of God?'"
After wide applause from the crowd, the Florida governor chimed in.
"I don't even know what that name means quite frankly," DeSantis said. "I'm quite confident that former president couldn't spell it if he was put to the test."
ALSO READ: Far-right Texas congressman's ex-staffer paid back nearly $40K in ‘unauthorized charges'
Vander Platts then cut him off, saying "Whoa, whoa, whoa. It's still a Thanksgiving table."
Then DeSantis changed his tone to one of understanding.
"But I'll be a leader you can be proud of," he said. "We need to have the better angels of our nature guide us when your exercising this type of leadership...The president has the ability using the bully pulpit to lift people up."
"We need that in this country because it's been missing for far too long."