UM: Trump: DeSantis owes it to me to drop out.

So this argument isn’t as much of a stretch as some might think — at least in terms of Trump’s boost for DeSantis in 2018’s primary. That endorsement arguably may have made it tougher for DeSantis in the 2018 general election, a blue wave that saw voters punish Trump backers across the country. DeSantis barely held on against Andrew Gillum, and in fact his win was seen as a major upset in an otherwise bleak night for the GOP. Nevertheless, Trump did intervene with the re-endorsement for the primary, and it clearly had a positive impact for DeSantis in the summer of 2018.

That, of course, was five years ago, and DeSantis certainly returned the favor in 2020 by offering Trump his full-throated support in the presidential election. DeSantis helped deliver Florida for Trump in 2020 too. As Sopo also points out, DeSantis offered plenty of political support for Trump during Russiagate. In other words, DeSantis spent a few years being the good party soldier for Trump. At this point, most reasonable voters will likely conclude that Trump got fair value for his 2018 support of DeSantis.

Besides, isn’t this “betrayal” argument better aimed at Mike Pence and Nikki Haley, whom Trump appointed to his ticket and administration?

Yes, but he’s not afraid of them. Trump needs to be attacking Democrats. Showing he can still do that effectively is how he wins the primary, not by attacking Republicans not-so-effectively.

Plus: “Even apart from that, this sounds pretty whiny for a first-look official campaign ad.” Yes.