ISTANBUL

The Republican governor of the US state of Florida is pushing back on President Donald Trump’s pick to succeed him in the 2026 race, suggesting that his wife could step into the role instead.

Ron DeSantis, a onetime rival of Trump, rejected his pick of Congressman Byron Donalds, telling a Monday news conference: "We’ve achieved victories in Florida … (But) I think people look at it and say, you know you got a guy like Byron, he just hasn’t been a part of any of the victories that we’ve had here over these last years,"

Speaking in the city of Tampa, the governor touted his wife Casey DeSantis as a worthy successor, saying: "People ask me all the time about our wonderful first lady, who has done a fantastic job as first lady of Florida, I will tell you this, you’re talking about somebody like her ... She would do better than me.”

Saying his wife has the “intestinal fortitude and the dedication to conservative principles,” DeSantis added that she could take his accomplishments “to the next level.”

DeSantis is in his second term as Florida governor, but under state law cannot seek a third.

Last week, Trump declared his full support for Donalds, saying on his Truth Social platform: "I know Byron well, and as Governor, he would have a BIG voice and work closely with me."

Over the years, Trump and DeSantis have been on-and-off rivals, with the governor's latest move showing him defying the president

After competing against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, DeSantis endorsed Trump's 2024 bid for the White House. But the rivalry was bitter at times, with Trump frequently demeaning and deriding DeSantis.