KEY POINTS
- DeSantis’ campaign aide said there was nothing wrong with the flag’s position
- Trump called DeSantis’ campaign launch a disaster
- Trump announced his third run for the White House in November
Several former and current aides of former President Donald Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign launch, poking fun at his campaign video and decision to announce his candidacy via Twitter.
Days before the announcement, DeSantis’ wife, Casey, posted a video of him alongside a large U.S. flag that appeared flipped.
“In the future, maybe if you use [the American flag] as a backdrop … have it positioned correctly,” said Chris LaCivita, a veteran Republican strategist and adviser to Trump, then attached an image of the flag with 15 stars and stripes.
DeSantis’ camp wasted no time pushing back, with campaign aide and former press secretary to the Florida governor Christina Pushaw pointing out that there was nothing wrong with the flag’s position.
“The flag is in fact positioned correctly, considering that [DeSantis] is standing back stage in this shot,” Pushaw said.
“Now, I am curious about this 15-star and 15-stripe flag. Never seen it before. Does Liberia now have 14 colonies?” she added.
The flag is in fact positioned correctly, considering that he is standing back stage in this shot.
Now I am curious about the meaning of this 15 star and 15 stripe flag. Never seen it before. Does Liberia now have 14 colonies?
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) May 24, 2023
“What is this flag with 15 stars?” another GOP strategist and communications director to several Republican lawmakers, Matt Whitlock, said.
It seemed the flag LaCivita attached in his failed mock post against DeSantis was the 18th-century Star-Spangled Banner. The design was approved by Congress in the second Flag Act on January 13, 1794, with the additional stars and stripes meant to represent Vermont and Kentucky joining the Union.
However, in the third Flag Act, passed on April 4, 1818, the number of stripes was reduced to thirteen to honor the original colonies and provided one star for each state. Over the years, a star is added following the admission of each new state.
Meanwhile, Trump’s camp wasted no time ridiculing DeSantis’ campaign launch.
“Wow. The DeSanctus Twitter launch is a disaster,” Trump stated on his social media platform Truth Social.
“His whole campaign will be a disaster,” he added.
One Trump adviser told Fox News Digital that DeSantis’ decision to announce on Twitter is perfect for him. “This way, he doesn’t have to interact with people, and the media can’t ask him any questions.”
Another adviser told Politico that DeSantis’ announcement seemed disconnected from the constituents.
“How is this announcement via Twitter going to make Ron more relatable to a Caucus-goer in Iowa? I can only imagine the conversation,” the adviser reportedly said.
Trump announced his third run for the White House in November in the ballroom of his Mar-a-Lago estate in an attempt to cash in on a “red tsunami” that never quite happened.
