Some RINOs pulled him aside and whispered that Trump would get indicted soon and be forced out of the race so he should position himself as the alternative early on and that they (the RINOS) would back him.
It's dirty pool.
DeSantis should have supported Trump from the start and bided his time for 2028. He also owes his constituents in Florida the second term of being their governor they re-elected him to.
DeSantis never should have waffled on Ukraine. He listened to the GOPe and it hurt him way more than he knows. The base has had its’ fill of that rat money laundering op and it was obvious the party got to him.
I think the GOPe set him up to fail on purpose. The GOPe figured Trump would be taken out by the indictment and they could work on DeSantis themselves. DeSantis is a fool if he thought the establishment would get him to the White House!