Trump divides conservatives with ‘gutless’ jab on boosters as Ann Coulter lashes out

In an apparent dig at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the former president comes out in support of boosters and Ann Coulter calls him ‘a liar’

Donald Trump has called politicians who refuse to say whether they’ve had a Covid-19 booster shot “gutless” – and he appeared to be referring to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has dodged questions on if he has taken up the latest coronavirus shot.

Speaking on conservative One America News Network, the former president said “You gotta say it. Whether you had it or not, say it.”

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter lashed out at Mr Trump in defence of Mr DeSantis on Twitter.

“Trump is demanding to know Ron DeSantis’s booster status, and I can now reveal it. He was a loyal booster when Trump ran in 2016, but then he learned our president was a liar and con man whose grift was permanent. I hope that clears things up,” she wrote on Twitter.

Mr Trump has been vocal on his vaccination status and recently said he had taken his booster jab. He has also supported the vaccines’ efficacy and safety.

Vaccines have remained unpopular with Republican supporters, who booed Mr Trump last month for announcing his vaccine booster status. And vocal conservative politicians, including Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert and Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene have refused the shot and have – to the condemnation of Jewish groups – likened vaccine mandates to Nazi Germany.

Ms Boebert previously described those going door to door to persuade people to be vaccinated as “needle Nazis,” while Ms Taylor Green said: “People have a choice, they don’t need your medical brown shirts showing up at their door ordering vaccinations. You can’t force people to be part of the human experiment.”

“Well, I’ve taken it. I’ve had the booster,” Mr Trump said on the Tuesday night news show. “I watched a couple of politicians be interviewed and one of the questions was, ‘Did you get the booster?’ … the answer is ‘Yes,’ but they don’t want to say it. Because they’re gutless.”

Mr DeSantis has been rumoured as a possible 2024 presidential candidate, and he could potentially be competition for Mr Trump if the former president were to run again in two years’ time.

“I’ve done whatever I did, the normal shot. And, you know, that, at the end of the day, is people’s individual decisions about what they want to do,” Mr DeSantis told Fox News last month.