Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to enter the 2024 presidential race this week, has been trying to bribe high-ranking military officers with promises of promotions in exchange for presidential endorsements, sources in Gen. Smith’s office and at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago headquarters told Real Raw News.
On Wednesday, May 17, Generals David H. Berger and Eric M. Smith received in the mail letters DeSantis had authored and which encouraged them to abandon their support of Donald Trump and MAGA and instead endorse DeSantis in upcoming Republican primaries as well as in the general election, a source in Gen. Smith’s office told Real Raw News.
The one-page letters, which bore DeSantis’ handwritten signature, described Trump as “past his prime” and said the Republican Party would be doomed for a half-century if delegates nominate him to face Biden in 2024. DeSantis’ screed against Trump used words such as “too old,” “crazy,” and “bovine attitude” and suggested that America had grown weary of Trump’s MAGA coalition and unending talks of a stolen election. Biden, DeSantis wrote, defeated Trump “fair and square” in an equitable election, but Trump’s “bruised ego” compelled him to maintain the stolen election charade. DeSantis called Trump a blight on the Party. He said Trump had defiled American confidence and desecrated the memories of great Republican Presidents like Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower, and George H.W. Bush.
While pillorying Trump, DeSantis touted his landslide victory over Charlie Christ as proof he could defeat Biden and lead America into a period of recovery and prosperity, free of wokeness, political coercion, and Deep State manipulation. “Denounce Donald J. Trump and support a DeSantis candidacy, and together we can reunite the country and restore faith in the Republican Party,” part of the letter read. It closed with an appeal, “I invite you to stand at my side when I make the announcement,” and promises of future Cabinet positions.
“The way he talked about President Trump, he sounded more like Liz Cheney than Ron DeSantis,” our source in the general’s office said. “You want to guess what Gen. Smith and Gen. Berger did? They forwarded a copy of the letter right to President Trump.”
President Trump was unsurprised at DeSantis’ betrayal, for DeSantis had mailed similar letters to dozens of commanders, colonels, generals, and admirals, many of whom have remained steadfastly loyal to the true commander-in-chief. They told Trump that DeSantis’ flattering communiques commended their adherence to the Constitution while questioning their devotion to the 45th President of the United States. DeSantis wrote that as president, he would order his Department of Defense to promote influential officers that backed him. Captains would become majors; majors would become lt. colonels; and lt. colonels would get a whole bird on their shoulders. To generals, he offered an added star, and so on.
“DeSantis misjudged them,” a Mar-a-Lago source said. “He aimed to seduce them, play to their vanity, promise appetizing trinkets, but these officers saw through his ruse, let Trump know about his deceptive behavior. It’s sick, disgusting—trying to tempt the officers like a molester would tempt a kid with candy. He severely underestimated their loyalties.”
President Trump, he added, predicted DeSantis would employ underhanded tactics to muster military support.
“DeSantis has been in a tailspin. He knows he needs military support. And Trump fully anticipated this move. But DeSantis reeks of desperation,” he said.
The source in Gen. Smith’s office echoed the sentiment. “Without military support he’s toast. Americans don’t want to hear about wealthy elites backing candidates. They don’t trust elitists, with good reason. Military endorsements have weight. President Trump earned the endorsements of over 100 generals and admirals. It’s doubtful DeSantis will get one. White Hats won’t support a Skull & Bones, and Black Hats won’t embrace a Republican.”
Real Raw News sought comment on the letters from DeSantis’ spokesperson Christina Pushaw, but she refused our call.