Donald Trump Blasts Kim Reynolds for Picking DeSantis: 'Extremely Disloyal'

Donald Trump has attacked Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds ahead of her expected backing of Ron DeSantis for the 2024 election, suggesting that the move will be the "end of her political career."

Reynolds is believed to be officially endorsing the Florida governor over the former president during a rally in Des Moines on Monday night.

The move has been expected for a while, with Reynolds appearing in public with DeSantis on his campaign trial, including watching the football game between rivals the University of Iowa and Iowa State University in the stands alongside the Florida governor in September. The endorsement could be significant for DeSantis, who appears to be hoping for a positive result in the first-in-the nation Iowa primary caucus in January 2024 to give his floundering White House bid a much needed boost.

In posts on Truth Social, Trump blasted Reynolds and DeSantis as "extremely disloyal people" ahead of the expected endorsement. Trump also cited a recent Morning Survey poll that found Reynolds and DeSantis are the two most unpopular governors in the U.S. in terms of disapproval ratings.

"If and when Kim Reynolds of Iowa endorses Ron DeSanctimonious, who is absolutely dying in the polls both in Iowa and Nationwide, it will be the end of her political career in that MAGA would never support her again, just as MAGA will never support DeSanctimonious again," Trump wrote.

"Two extremely disloyal people getting together is, however, a very beautiful thing to watch. They can now remain loyal to each other because nobody else wants them!!!"

Trump also claimed he had "opened up" the position for Reynolds to become Iowa governor after he appointed then-Governor Terry Branstad to serve as the U.S. ambassador to China after his 2016 presidential win. Reynolds was elected governor in her own right in November 2018, with Trump holding a rally in support of her and other Republican figures in Council Bluffs less than a month before the election.

Trump took credit for Reynolds' election victory, claiming she was "substantially down and losing" to Democratic challenger Fred Hubbell before his endorsement. Trump has also frequently suggested that he helped DeSantis win his 2018 gubernatorial election after his endorsement in the GOP primary gave the then little-known congressman a huge boost in the polls.

"Very importantly, I was the sole reason that Iowa remained FIRST IN THE NATION. I was Strong on Ethanol, DeSantis voted against it, and other things bad for Iowa, like wanting to destroy Social Security and Medicare," Trump added.

"Despite all of this, Reynolds remained Neutral on Endorsements, and she is now America's most Unpopular Governor, and Ron DeSanctimonious is Second. That's what happens when you are disloyal to those that got you there!"

Reynolds' office has been contacted for comment via email.

The October 31 Morning Consult survey cited by Trump revealed that Reynolds has the highest disapproval rating out of all sitting U.S. governors, with 47 percent (49 percent approve), with DeSantis the second highest overall on 45 percent (51 percent approving).

The survey suggested that Reynolds' "apparent closeness" to DeSantis helped play a part in an increase of negative sentiment for the Iowa governor. A separate Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa poll released in August showed that 81 percent of people in the state viewed her favorably, including 50 percent who viewed her very favorably.

It remains to be seen if Reynolds' backing of DeSantis will give his 2024 campaign the kick it needs, with Trump still holding overwhelming poll leads in the GOP primary.

The Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa poll showed that Trump had a 23 point lead over DeSantis (42 to 19 percent).

According to FiveThirtyEight's national poll average tracker, Trump is way out ahead of the other Republican candidates in the GOP primary with 58.3 percent, with DeSantis a distant second on 14 percent.