By Kristen Holmes | CNN
Donald Trump and his allies are planning a coordinated effort to upend the media cycle around the presidential campaign launch of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, which will include videos and a social media blitz leaning on high-profile, Trump-aligned conservative commentators, sources familiar with the plans told CNN.
The messaging strategy will involve some Trump surrogates appearing in Miami, where DeSantis is set to gather with donors beginning Wednesday. Make America Great Again, Inc., the Trump-aligned super PAC, will also have a presence in the city. The group plans to have a box truck playing a new attack ad as it circles the Miami hotel where DeSantis will be. The 60-second digital ad hits DeSantis on his tenure as a congressman in Washington, painting the Florida governor as a Washington “swamp creature” who was trying to cut entitlements while Trump was entering the White House. The ad presents a side-by-side comparison of Trump’s and DeSantis’ time in DC and marks their differences in policy.
At one point, the former president filmed a video to potentially post in conjunction with the DeSantis announcement, according to a source familiar, but it is unclear if Trump’s team plans to release it publicly at this point.
DeSantis is set to announce his 2024 bid for the White House Wednesday evening in a conversation with Twitter owner Elon Musk. Allies close to the former president have urged him to reignite his once-prolific Twitter account, which he regained access to last year after being banned following the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. Many of his allies believe using Twitter will allow him to control the narrative in the GOP primary.
Trump’s allies and advisers have been floating ideas on how to best navigate DeSantis’ looming announcement for months. As part of the counterprogramming effort, the Trump campaign and its allies are expected to attack DeSantis on a wide range of past policy stances,…
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