Trump's blistering attacks on Gov. Ron DeSantis continue. Will he ever hit back?

WASHINGTON – An epic Republican confrontation – Donald Trump versus Ron DeSantis – remains on hold, but seems to be drawing nearer.

Trump and his allies are escalating attacks on the Florida governor, including an ethics complaint lodged Wednesday. DeSantis still avoids replying in kind, though allies are starting to speak out against the aggressive ex-president and many wonder how long the Florida governor will retain his reticence.

"Whether he can maintain his discipline and ignore Trump long term remains to be seen," said Republican strategist Liz Mair.

In the meantime, Team Trump is trying to bait DeSantis with a lot of hooks.

Ethics complaint filed against DeSantis

A Trump-affiliated political action committee, Make America Great Again Inc., announced it has filed a complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics, claiming the governor is using his office to mount a "shadow presidential campaign" at odds with state and federal finance laws.

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This did draw a response from DeSantis' office, one that only alluded to Trump's frequent criticisms but did not name him specifically.

“Adding this to the list of frivolous and politically motivated attacks," said Taryn Fenske, the governor's communications director. "It’s inappropriate to use state ethics complaints for partisan purposes.”

Ken Cuccinelli, a former Trump administration official who has now created a political action committee that supports DeSantis, used one of the ex-president's favorite terms to describe the ethics complaint: "Sad." He added, "the President Trump I knew would never have played these types of establishment games."

DeSantis criticized for Ukraine comments

The Florida governor drew Trumpy criticism after this week's announcement that he doesn't consider Ukraine a "vital" nation interest. The U.S. should be careful about military assistance to Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia's invasion, he said in a statement to Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

DeSantis' position seems close to that of Trump. The former president told reporters this week that the governor is "following what I am saying. It is a flip-flop. He was totally different. Whatever I want, he wants."

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The Ukraine issue also drew another Republican presidential candidate into the anti-DeSantis camp, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

"President Trump is right when he says Governor DeSantis is copying him," Haley said. "First in his style, then on entitlement reform, and now on Ukraine."

Trump goes on offense against DeSantis

Since announcing in mid-November that he would seek the presidency again in 2024, Trump and supporters have attacked DeSantis on any number of issues, from Social Security to the boots he wears. Trump has sought to pin a mocking nickname on the governor, though none have seemed to stick.

During his recent visit to Iowa, Trump assailed DeSantis over one of the Hawkeye State's top issues: ethanol subsidies.

The Trump team has provided reporters with opposition research on DeSantis.

Trump has expressed regret that he endorsed DeSantis during his first run for governor in 2018: "If it weren’t for me, Ron DeSanctimonious would right now be working probably at a law firm, or maybe a Pizza Hut, I don’t know.”

In a Truth Social message posted at 12:23 a.m. Thursday, Trump bestowed a frequently used insult on DeSantis: "RINO," which stands for Republican In Name Only."

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Rather than engage Trump, DeSantis and aides said he is focused on his day job, especially with the Florida Legislature in session.

DeSantis is expected to make a presidential announcement after the session adjourns in May.

In the meantime, DeSantis sloughs off Trump's attacks as "background noise," though he does make periodic allusions to the ex-president. DeSantis says he will ultimately be defined by his record as governor.

"When you have a record of achievement, people can call you names," he told Fox News this week. "But that's not going to trump the achievement."

It didn't feel like the use of the term "trump" was an accident.

Why DeSantis is ignoring Trump attacks

Many Republicans said there's no reason for DeSantis to engage Trump right now.

There's no evidence the attacks are hurting him, they said, and polls show DeSantis very competitive with Trump even though he has yet to announce a campaign.

"The horse race is one thing, but the underlying image and coalition metrics are another," said Scott Jennings, a Republican strategist and CNN commentator. "And I don’t see any evidence that DeSantis is picking up detractors based on Trump’s flailing."

How will Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis perform on the national stage?

At some point, DeSantis will have to engage Trump, perhaps in debates that are expected to be scheduled later this year.

By then, the former congressman and current Florida governor will have to answer another question: How will he perform on the national stage?

Will he be like George W. Bush, a sitting governor who won the White House in 2000, or another Jeb Bush, who fell to the Trump onslaught of 2016?

Mair said she doesn't know if DeSantis "will be able to continue in his current vein, or if he’ll end up in a fight with him like almost everyone in 2016 did."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump attacks DeSantis. How long can the Florida governor ignore him?