by Sharon Rondeau
(Jan. 10, 2024) — During a Fox News-hosted townhall Wednesday night in the final week before the first-in-the-nation Iowa Republican caucus on Monday, 45th President and 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner Donald J. Trump stated, at approximately 9:46 p.m. EST, that fellow Republican presidential contender and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be leaving the contest “very soon.”
Trump predicted DeSantis would make his exit “before New Hampshire,” which is the second state to hold a caucus or primary in the 2024 election cycle on January 23.
Entering the race shortly after he was re-elected governor in November 2022, DeSantis was once viewed as a viable challenger to Trump, who many “establishment” Republicans dislike.
Wednesday’s townhall hosted by Martha McCallum and Bret Baier followed two others with DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who in some recent polls has surpassed DeSantis in popularity. At the same time as Trump’s townhall, Haley and DeSantis appeared on CNN for a debate.
In a late-breaking development Wednesday evening, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie dropped out of the race after derogatory comments he made about Haley were captured on a “hot mic.”
Updated, 6:55 a.m. EST, January 11, 2024.