Trump Calls DeSantis 'Desperate,' Says Florida Governor Came to see him With 'Tears in his Eyes'

In an exclusive interview on the Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” political show, former President Donald Trump told host Sean Hannity that Gov. Ron DeSantis came to him in “tears” asking for an endorsement during the 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary race in Florida.

President Trump said he endorsed Gov. DeSantis over former Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam because he had stood up and defended him when he was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives.

“I didn’t know him well. He was no Jim Jordan, but he was good and he defended me,” said President Trump of DeSantis.

Trump then explained his account of how the endorsement came to pass, saying that at the time, DeSantis came to him in tears as he was getting  beat by 30 points.

Trump said a “desperate” DeSantis then asked for the endorsement, and after the endorsement came down, former Putnam staffers later told him that when he backed DeSantis over Putnam, “It was like a nuclear weapon went off.”

“He came to see me. He was getting killed. He was being crushed. Adam Putnam, it was over…he was desperate, said Trump.

“Ron came to see me, tears in his eyes”, he said, “I need you to do me a big favor.”

After Trump agreed to endorse DeSantis over Putnam, Trump said he had to change the endorsement statement DeSantis penned for him because “it was terrible.”

“He wrote it out, I thought it was terrible. I changed it and made it great. I gave him a great endorsement,” added Trump.

“It’s about loyalty,” added Trump.

Trump ended the segment about DeSantis talking about loyalty, and how he believes DeSantis is being disloyal to him by signaling that he would be challenging the former President.