Evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats was given the floor during an interview with The Blaze’s Steve Deace, launching into former President Donald Trump after a week which saw the pair’s ongoing feud reach epic new proportions.
President and CEO of The Family Leader, a Christian conservative group based in Iowa, Vander Plaats has become increasingly vocal about his dislike of the Donald. In May, he told NewsNation that he was done for good with the former president, and that voters were “exhausted and tired” and it was time to “turn the page.”
Last week, the influential leader announced his endorsement of Ron DeSantis—much-needed fuel for the Florida governor’s flailing campaign.
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“We need to find someone who can win in 2024,” Vander Plaats told Fox News, while claiming he believes Trump would not be re-elected.
“What we saw in 2022, the supposedly red wave, really only happened in Florida and in Iowa,” he added, describing DeSantis as a “bold and courageous leader.”
The endorsement clearly peeved Trump. Last week, he took to Truth Social: “Did Ron DeSanctimonious, whose Polls have fallen like a wounded bird from the sky, commit a major Campaign Finance Violation by paying for the Bob Vander Plaats’ useless endorsement? I don’t think so! Thank you Iowa for your love and support—Big Numbers. We will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Then, again, on Saturday: “Bob Vander Plaats, the former High School Accountant from Iowa, will do anything to win, something which he hasn’t done in many years,” Trump wrote. “He’s more known for scamming Candidates than he is for Victory, but now he’s going around using Disinformation from the Champions of that Art, the Democrats. I don’t believe anything Bob Vander Plaats says. Anyone who would take $95,000, and then endorse a Candidate who is going nowhere, is not what Elections are all about!”
Vander Plaats defended his actions to Deace in a searing rebuke on Monday, denying Trump’s allegations that he had taken money from DeSantis’ campaign and adding that he had become “obsessed” with the idea of his endorsement.
“Now, what you’re seeing from the former president is his character being revealed,” Plaats said in a 10-minute tirade, criticizing Trump’s portrayals of DeSantis and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, who has also endorsed DeSantis.
“The No. 1 hurdle for Donald Trump is I’ve never met a dad or a mom or a grandpa or a grandma who have told me they want their son or daughter, grandchild to grow up to be like him. That’s a big deal.
“And then because I don’t endorse you, to throw me under the bus, my family under the bus, as well as our ministry under the bus because we don’t bow the knee to you, that tells me more than ever [that] this party and this country needs to choose well about who’s going to be representing us as president.”
“Trump deserved to lose my endorsement. Matter of fact, I’ve never endorsed him. But he proved he was not worthy of the endorsement of me, of the ministry, and by extension, the broader body. And I believe Iowa will rise up. I believe I will send a message on January 15th because I think they’re seeing it through this as well. This is smoke and mirrors. This is not leadership our country needs,” he concluded.
“Right now I believe Ron DeSantis deserves to win and Donald Trump deserves to lose.”
