Trump critics underestimate him ‘at your peril,’ warns Jen Psaki: Ex-Biden official says former president has ‘wicked charisma’ that could help him win 2024 GOP nomination
- Biden’s first White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, attended a Meet The Press panel on Sunday to discuss whether Donald Trump is still viable for 2024
- She warned “Democrats and sane Republicans” not to dismiss him as harmless
- Psaki said Republicans don’t have a “better alternative” to Trump yet
- She suggested it’s too early to tell if Ron DeSantis is on the rise or if he’s already peaked
- DeSantis leads Trump in a recent head-to-head poll released last week
Former Biden administration press secretary Jen Psaki warned Sunday not to “underestimate” Donald Trump and his 2024 presidential campaign.
Addressing Democrats and moderates on the right, the former White House official said Trump has a “wicked charisma” that could help him sail to the GOP nomination for a third time — and potentially a second time to the presidency to win.
The ex-president’s November 15 announcement at his home in Mar-a-Lago was met with a lukewarm reception in the media and even within his own party, fueling speculation that his hold on the GOP may be more vulnerable than previously thought.
But speaking at a Meet The Press panel this Sunday, Psaki suggested those who are now excluding Trump should do so to their own detriment.
“I think Democrats and sane Republicans underestimate Trump at their peril,” Psaki said.
“Because for Trump not to win the nomination, there has to be a better alternative — that’s how primaries work, right?”
Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki warned “Democrats and sensible Republicans” not to “underestimate” Donald Trump, noting that the GOP must agree on a “better alternative” before he can be defeated
Psaki went through a short list of potential White House hopefuls, starting by highlighting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis, who recently won a comfortable double-digit re-election victory after a narrow first race in 2018, has seen his star rise within the GOP for his opposition to the Biden administration over COVID-19 and the border and culture wars fighting against the LGBTQ -Community fought.
He endeared himself to the wider Republican sphere with his acclaimed handling of the back-to-back effects of Hurricane Ian and Tropical Storm Nicole.
The Florida governor has also been at odds with Trump for refusing to rule out a future challenge against him in 2024 — though DeSantis has yet to express any formal interest in running for president.
Psaki also mentioned Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence, who has strongly suggested he could run but has so far seen no early surge in voter enthusiasm.
“Ron DeSantis – this man, he’s either the savior or he’s at his peak,” she explained.
She also said Trump possesses a “dark charisma” which she believes could help him win again
“Mike Pence, with all due respect, wasn’t exactly setting the world on fire politically before he was chosen by Donald Trump to be his running mate.”
She questioned whether a clear “alternative” would emerge.
“Trump has a wicked charisma that helps him win the nomination, the nomination process is long. What will happen here?’ argued Psaki.
“In my opinion, people shouldn’t underestimate him.”
A new Marquette University Law School poll released last week showed DeSantis leading Trump in a hypothetical head-to-head challenge.
Among Republican voters and Republican-leaning independents, DeSantis garnered a 60 percent support share compared to Trump’s 40 percent.
Both are nearly even in favor — a major rise for the governor, who won his 2018 race for the Tallahassee governor’s mansion with Trump’s staunch support.
But now DeSantis is viewed favorably by 68 percent of Republicans, compared to 67 percent who said the same about Trump.