Lindsey Graham criticizes Trump for attacking Florida gov. as ‘Ron DeSanctimonious’

Lindsey Graham doesn’t want to see Donald Trump attacking Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the 2024 primary campaign and advised the ex-president not to speak ‘ill’ of others in the party.

The South Carolina Republican is the only non-first term senator to officially levy an endorsement of Trump in his third consecutive bid for the White House.

Graham’s comments came as Trump went on the attack after DeSantis weighed-in on the imminent indictment against the former chief executive in the case involving his hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.

The Florida governor made a minor sleight against Trump, claiming on Monday he doesn’t know ‘what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair.’

Trump immediately pounced, posting to his Truth Social a repeat of unsubstantiated claims that DeSantis had inappropriate relationships with ‘underage’ women and ‘or possibly a man.’

Graham said he doesn’t ‘like’ the fighting between Trump and DeSantis.

‘If you start this thing, you better be willing to take it,’ Graham told Fox & Friends on Tuesday morning. ‘Trump’s not into these thou shalt nots. That’s not his thing.’

‘The bottom line is if I were Trump, which I am not, I would be running on four years of being a pretty effective president,’ he added. ‘The best is yet to come.’

Graham added that if he were Trump his strategy would be to say: ‘DeSantis, I picked him out of a crowd. I knew he was talented early on. I was the guy that saw the talent. He’s been a great governor, but I’m better able to be president.’

Trump’s first public reaction to DeSantis’ remarks on a possible indictment, however, was to post an attack against the Florida governor.

The South Carolina senator acknowledged that Trump and DeSantis’ noted that heightening war of words breaks deceased President Ronald Reagan’s famous ‘commandment’ claiming Republicans should avoid speaking ‘ill’ of each other.

The two-sentence, quick post included several suggestions – including that the governor is inexperienced because of his age as well as questions over his sexuality and if he’s had inappropriate interactions with men.

Trump, 76, warned DeSantis, 44, that he would soon have to endure even more ‘false accusations and fake stories’ with his rising national prominence as a leader within the Republican Party.

The post to Truth Social came after DeSantis broke his silence on a possible imminent indictment by attacking the ‘Soros-funded’ Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg during his press conference on Monday.

Trump also used his new favorite moniker for the governor – Ron ‘DeSanctimonious’ – as he quickly became the biggest threat to the former president’s chances of earning the nomination.

DeSantis slammed Bragg for creating a ‘manufactured circus’ in his first comments since rumors sparked that Trump will be indicted as early as Tuesday and soon after called on his supporters to ‘protest’ any arrest. 

Law enforcement sources tell DailyMail.com that the earliest likely action against Trump would take place on Wednesday. 

‘Ron DeSanctimonious will probably find out about FALSE ACCUSATIONS & FAKE STORIES sometime in the future, as he gets older, wiser, and better known, when he’s unfairly and illegally attacked by a woman, even classmates that are ‘underage’ (or possibly a man!),’ Trump wrote.

‘I’m sure he will want to fight these misfits just like I do!’ the former president added in the post to his Truth Social platform.

Trump’s inner circle criticized DeSantis – and other announced and perceived 2024 hopefuls – for staying silent on claims the former president will be arrested in the Stormy Daniels hush money case on Tuesday.

It illustrates how the latest legal twist offers a dilemma to Trump’s likely rivals for the Republican 2024 nomination – Do they speak out against the former president for his indiscretions, or do they steer clear for fear of alienating his vocal, restless base?

DeSantis managed both on Monday, saying he did not know ‘what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair’, before moving on to accuse Bragg of ignoring rising crime in New York and instead going after Trump.

‘So I’ve seen rumors swirl, I have not seen any facts yet,’ he said. ‘The Manhattan district attorney is a Soros-funded prosecutor. 

‘He, like other Soros-funded prosecutors, they weaponize their office to impose a political agenda on society at the expense of the rule of law and public safety.

‘He has downgraded over 50 percent of the felonies to misdemeanors. He says he doesn’t want to even have jail time for the vast, vast majority of crimes.

‘What I can speak to, is that if you have a prosecutor who is ignoring crimes happening every single day in his jurisdiction, and he chooses to go back many, many years ago, to try to use something about porn star hush money payments. 

‘You know, that’s an example of pursuing a political agenda and weaponizing the office.’

Bragg’s office is believed to be coming to the end of its investigation in to payments to adult movie star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an affair with Trump — allegations he has long denied.

His office is not funded by Soros, although his campaign to become district attorney received $1 million from the Color Of Change Political Action Committee, a racial justice group backed by the Hungarian-born billionaire financier.

Soros is a favorite target of conservatives. Since the Jan. 6 attack on Congress, he has used his extensive wealth to back candidates he says are promoting democracy and the rule of law.

But extremists in the far reaches of the internet have seized on his family history to suggest he is part of a Jewish conspiracy that secretly holds the levers of power. 

In his comments during a press conference, DeSantis also made clear he would not be getting involved in the Trump case. 

‘I’ve got real issues I got to deal with here in the state of Florida,’ he said.

‘We’ve got so many things pending in front of the legislature. I’ve got to spend my time on issues that actually matter to people. 

‘I can’t spend my time worrying about things of that nature.’

The Trump-allied Make America Great Again PAC blasted DeSantis for dismissing the issue.

‘Democrats abusing the justice system to target Republicans is a real issue that impacts all Americans,’ it said in an email blast.

And Donald Trump Jr accused the Florida governor of being weak.

‘So DeSantis thinks that Dems weaponizing the law to indict President Trump is a ‘manufactured circus’ & isn’t a ‘real issue.’ Pure weakness,’ he tweeted.

‘Now we know why he was silent all weekend. He’s totally owned by Karl Rove, Paul Ryan and his billionaire donors. 100 percent controlled opposition.’

Meanwhile New York police are preparing for the worst. 

New York police built barriers around the Manhattan court complex on Monday morning amid fears of violent demonstrations.

That includes the district attorney’s office. 

In an email to staff on Saturday, first reported by Politico, Bragg sought to assure prosecutors and other members of his office that he has been working with police and court officials to ensure their safety. 

‘We do not tolerate attempts to intimidate our office or threaten the rule of law in New York,’ he wrote. ‘Our law enforcement partners will ensure that any specific or credible threats against the office will be fully investigated.’