In Presidents Day speech, Trump aims at two prominent Florida Republicans

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WEST PALM BEACH — Former President Donald Trump on Monday kicked off his first public speech in Palm Beach County since launching his White House comeback bid with salvos at two fellow Florida Republicans, one a seemingly erstwhile ally and the other a threatening potential rival.

In the opening remarks of his Presidents Day speech to a fan club at the Palm Beach Airport Hilton, Trump vowed that "under no circumstances will we allow anyone to cut Medicare or Social Security for our nation." It was a not-so-veiled slap at U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, who has been under national scrutiny this month for his proposal to sunset all federal programs after five years, and which Scott last Friday amended to exempt Social Security and Medicare.

The comments by Trump follow what has been an apparent distancing between the two. When asked this month if he planned to endorse Trump's presidential candidacy, Scott demurred saying he was "focused" on his own race. And as Scott was roasted by Democrats and some Republicans in the past few weeks over his sunset plan, Trump stayed quiet rather than coming to the embattled Florida senator's defense.

Much more directly, Trump targeted Gov. Ron DeSantis by again calling him "Ron DeSanctimonious" early in his speech. The crowd of Club 45 members, now renamed Club 47 to support Trump's policy agenda for 2024, reacted with mere polite applause rather than boisterous chants as is characteristic of his rallies and speaking engagements.

Prior story:With a rival in White House race, Trump to speak at Club 45 on Presidents Day

Related story:Rick Scott is on 'damage control,' but enough to hurt his 2024 re-election chances?

Other coverage:Rick Scott is a longtime ally of Donald Trump. But he hasn't endorsed him.

Much more directly, Trump targeted Gov. Ron DeSantis by again calling him "Ron DeSanctimonious" early in his speech. The crowd of Club 45 members, now renamed Club 47 to support Trump's policy agenda for 2024, reacted with mere polite applause rather than boisterous chants as is characteristic of his rallies and speaking engagements.

The Presidents Day address followed a pattern in Trump's return to the campaign trail — speeches to crowds of hundreds in ballrooms rather than rallies with thousands. Monday evening's event was attended by more than 300 Club 47 members.

"Ron did good in Florida, but I did great," Trump said, in reference to DeSantis' 2022 landslide re-election victory and the former president's own turnout in winning Florida's 29 electoral votes in the 2020 election.

Trump then called out Republican governors, "which includes Florida," he added, to demand paper ballots and voter identification. That drew more robust applause even though Trump's unfounded claims of 2020 election fraud suffered another blow when a Georgia grand jury report last week concluded that there was no evidence of massive fraud in that state's voting two years ago.

Trump's speech in West Palm Beach comes at an important moment in the lead-up to next year's race

Trump's speech comes at an important juncture in the early stages of the 2024 White House race.

Last week, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley entered the GOP field. A slew of polls show Trump as either the favorite to win the party nomination, or in a tight contest with DeSantis, who has not indicated whether he will run but has done nothing to douse speculation that he plans to do so.

Trump, however, in subtle fashion, continued to co-opt some of DeSantis' so-called anti-woke agenda.

Trump said his policy agenda included removing programs and policies dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion advocated by President Joe Biden, cutting federal funding for "any school pushing left-wing gender theories" and protecting parental rights.

He also said political correctness damages military preparedness and authority citing traditions exemplified in "old movies."

"Can you imagine some of these old movies, great old movies, where they're being screamed at. Screamed at," Trump said. "Now they say, 'Don't you dare talk to me like that I'm going to sue your ass off.' Can you believe it?"

As he often does, Trump touched on a litany of other issues with general comments rather than policy-wonk detail.

He criticized Biden, who made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Monday, for his handling of that country's invasion by neighboring Russia. And he ripped the Biden administration's management of immigration at the U.S. southern border.

More:Trump's talking points echo DeSantis' attacks on 'woke' figures, praise for 'parental rights'

More:With a rival in White House race, Trump to speak at Club 45 on Presidents Day

More:Rick Scott is on 'damage control,' but enough to hurt his 2024 re-election chances?

Trump also spent a large portion of his hour-and-a-half speech telling stories from when he was president and going on tangents, such as his talks with Mexican officials to give the United States troops to protect its border.

Political observers, and even some of the faithful within his base, have been uneasy with Trump's policy focus, saying they are hoping for a fresh message.

On Monday, in fact, Trump issued a 7-point plan to end what he termed "out-of-control crime." The plan calls for "record investment in hiring, retention, and training for police officers" plus returning to what he said are "proven policing measures such as stop-and-frisk, strictly enforcing existing gun laws, cracking down on the open use of illegal drugs."

Hispanic Republican activist Lydia Maldonado said that Trump was more specific on Monday than he was in the past but that it's too early to tell how compelling his message will be as the calendar rolls to 2024.

"He pretty much, as the focus, is focused on the border, and he's also focused on election integrity," Maldonado said.

Nicolas Giacalone, a former administrative liaison for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's campaign and a candidate for Florida's House District 90 in 2024, said he enjoyed the speech, but that Trump needs to focus more on the policies he plans to pursue should he win.

"I think if he forms more of a message on what he's going to deliver, like more direct policy line, then I think he could win," Giacalone said.

Martha Mesa, a cofounder of Republican Amigos in South Florida, said that Trump's message was compelling since he addressed inflation and skyrocketing prices, which people are truly struggling with.

"He's definitely addressed directly what he would do when he gets in office, which is produce more oil in the U.S. so we can reduce our price and immediately the rest will fall," Mesa said.

Gene Sheldon said that Trump has been specific enough with his policy points and "covers all the bases" in his campaign message.

"We already know he can get it done," Sheldon said. "The man really has the art of the deal."

Trump gives shoutout to county commissioner — and then takes questions

Trump also gave a shoutout to Michael Barnett, a longtime supporter as chair of the county GOP chapter, and now a member of the board of county commissioners.

Barnett has been chair of the county party for nearly a decade, and under his leadership the party experienced major success during the past midterm that reddened traditionally blue Palm Beach County.

“You did a great job,” Trump said toward Barnett in the crowd. “And I wouldn't say our opponent was in favor, but I was in favor and everybody in this room was in favor of Michael.”

After about an hour into his speech, the former president said he would take questions from the crowd. He also criticized Biden’s recent State of the Union Address.

“You think Biden would do that? I don’t think so,” Trump said about the president, telling the crowd Biden would not take questions.

The crowd asked questions on what he would do to condemn antisemitism, how he would stop the war in Ukraine and  when he would announce his running mate as vice president. Trump gave relative brief responses to the questions, which came from both sides of the room and were pre-approved by the attendants handing the microphone to audience members.

Stephany Matat is a politics reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY-Florida network. Reach her at smatat@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Donald Trump takes shots at Rick Scott, Ron DeSantis, Joe Biden