'Defend Trump': Pro-DeSantis group's memo reveals possible debate strategy

The main ace PAC backing Ron DeSantis' statesmanlike run posted, and past removed, a memo outlining a four-pronged strategy the Florida politician mightiness instrumentality successful adjacent week's Republican superior debate, The New York Times archetypal reported Thursday.

The document, which was besides reported by NBC News, recommended that DeSantis support erstwhile President Donald Trump from 1 of his opponent's attacks — assuming Trump decides to skip the Milwaukee debate.

DeSantis should besides onslaught President Joe Biden and the media up to 5 times, "hammer" GOP contender Vivek Ramaswamy and authorities his "positive vision" 2 oregon 3 times, according to the memo, which called those goals "must-dos."

The two-page memo was 1 of a slew of records posted publically this week by Axiom Strategies, a steadfast headed by Jeff Roe, a apical advisor for the pro-DeSantis ace PAC Never Back Down. After the Times asked astir the debate-strategy memo, the radical deleted it from Axiom's website, according to the newspaper.

But different run probe documents stay connected Axiom's site. Those documents see absorption probe connected Ramaswamy, the entrepreneur and crusader against "woke" issues who has made an outsized content connected the run trail, arsenic good arsenic pages connected however each of DeSantis' rivals could onslaught him successful a debate.

A 10-page memo connected erstwhile New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a large professional of some Trump and DeSantis who has hyped his skills arsenic a debater, notes that helium whitethorn onslaught DeSantis "for not being arsenic openly hostile to Trump."

The now-deleted memo summarizing DeSantis' statement goals advised him to "defend Donald Trump successful absentia successful effect to a Chris Christie attack."

The memo adjacent offered a pre-written retort for DeSantis to occurrence astatine Christie. "Trump isn't present truthful let's conscionable permission him alone. He's excessively anemic to support himself here. We're each moving against him," the memo said.

"I don't deliberation we privation to articulation forces with idiosyncratic connected this signifier who's auditioning for a amusement connected MSNBC," the memo suggested DeSantis could say.

A spokeswoman for the ace PAC did not instantly respond to CNBC's petition for comment.

The memo underscores the good enactment DeSantis is attempting to locomotion arsenic helium seeks to decision Trump successful the Republican superior without alienating the erstwhile president's loyal base. While Trump regularly rails against DeSantis astatine each disposable opportunity, the Florida politician has been acold little consenting to respond successful kind.

That strategy has yet to output an uptick successful the polls for DeSantis, who has seen his enactment erode successful caller nationalist surveys of the superior race. Trump holds a commanding pb implicit the field, adjacent arsenic helium grapples with a combined 91 felony counts successful 4 progressive transgression cases.

Trump has suggested helium volition not be the archetypal superior debate, which is acceptable for Wednesday evening successful Milwaukee. "Why would you fto idiosyncratic that's astatine zero, oregon 1 oregon 2 oregon 3 [in the polls] beryllium popping you with questions?" helium said recently.

Trump has besides said helium would not motion the Republican National Committee's pledge to enactment the eventual enactment nominee, which is simply a statement requirement.

Read the afloat study from The New York Times.