Top Iowa Evangelical Leader Says Trump Is ‘Not Worthy’ Of His Endorsement, Backs DeSantis Instead

Bob Vander Plaats, the head of a major Iown evangelical Christian group, The Family Leader, endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, fueling his fight with Donald Trump.

“Bob Vander Plaats, the former High School Accountant from Iowa, will do anything to win, something he hasn’t done in many years,” Trump wrote about the conservative Iowa leader on Truth Social.

“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,” he continued. “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 told Republicans to “turn the page” on Trump earlier this year. The former president said last week that he suspects DeSantis has committed “a major Campaign Finance Violation by paying for the Bob Vander Plaats’ useless endorsement.”

Vander Plaats denied Trump’s allegation against him during an interview with The Blaze‘s Steve Deace.

“When you come out against me, and by extension, the Family Leader, and saying that we’re ‘pay for play’ and we’re ‘bought and paid for,’ and this is how we do business, that’s just beyond the pale,” Vander Plaats said.

“What you’re seeing from the former president is character being revealed,” he continued. “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.”

“The number one hurdle for Donald Trump is [that] I’ve never met a dad, or a mom, or a grandpa, or a grandma who’ve told me they want their son, daughter or grandchild to grow up to be like him, that’s a big deal,” Vander Plaats said, concluding that Trump is “not worthy” of his endorsement.

Trump recently blasted the powerful conservative Koch Network for backing his opponent, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.