BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Evangelical leader fires back at Trump in endorsement feud

  • Bob Vander Plaats backs DeSantis’ 2024 GOP presidential bid
  • Trump: Vander Plaats endorsing ‘a candidate who will never be president’
  • Vander Plaats wants 'a bold and courageous leader who can win in 2024'

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

maylen

https://digital-stage.newsnationnow.com/

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241114185800

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241115200405

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118165728

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118184948

(NewsNation) — A feud between former President Donald Trump and Iowa evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats is heating up.

Trump accused Vander Plaats of “scamming” candidates after Vandler Plaats endorsed former Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election.

“Ron DeDeSanctimonious, in an act of sheer desperation, paid Iowa preacher Bob Vander Plaats $100,000, and then got his Endorsement? We did not seek it. What is going on here?” Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to a donation reportedly made to the evangelical leader’s foundation.


Best Prime Day Deals for 2024:

Products still on sale after Prime Big Deal Days

Beats headphones and tablets remain marked down

Make sure you’re stocked with Apple products

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission.


Vander Plaats, president and CEO of The Family Leader Foundation, dismissed the claims as “laughable” on NewsNation’s “Morning in America.”

“It’s laughable because Donald Trump, better than anybody, knows that my endorsement never has been and never will be for sale,” Vander Plaats said. “What Trump is upset about is that I endorsed his opponent Ron DeSantis, and I think he’s concerned about the endorsement. So we’re going to play and see how that works out,” Vander Plaats said.

In a statement, the Trump campaign claimed Vander Plaats was endorsing “a candidate who will never be president.”

“Over 150 faith leaders in Iowa are organizing their congregations for President Trump and not a single one demanded nearly $100k like Bob Vander Plaat$ did from Ron DeSanctus. When you are actually the leader of a movement like President Trump is, people are willing to support you for free,” the statement read.

Vander Plaats debunked those claims.

“I haven’t donated, The Family Leader hasn’t donated to any candidate or campaign. We don’t do that. That’s not how we play,” he said. “What Ron DeSantis did is he earned my endorsement, and how he earned my endorsement is he made the commitment and showed us that when he wins the presidency, he can serve for two terms. He won’t be a lame duck on Day 1; he’ll surround himself with the best and brightest people.”

The DeSantis campaign, a super PAC linked to him and a nonprofit group supporting him together donated $95,000 in recent months to The Family Leader, according to a Reuters report.

Vander Plaats said he’s “still a friend of Donald Trump,” and he’s not against him, but his endorsement is for the future of the country.

“Let’s get a bold and courageous leader who can win in 2024, and then who can lead on Day 1 effectively for two terms. I think America is going to come to realize that, and I still think Ron DeSantis can be our nominee,” he said.

A national FiveThirtyEight poll shows Trump is currently leading at 59.8%. DeSantis is in second place with 12.9%, while former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is at 10%.

2024 Election

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241119133138

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Sunny

la

61°F Sunny Feels like 61°
Wind
2 mph WSW
Humidity
34%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 47F. Winds light and variable.
47°F Clear to partly cloudy. Low 47F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
2 mph NNE
Precip
9%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous