MATLACHA, Fla. — Just 12 hours after former President Donald Trump announced he's once again running for the Oval Office in 2024, Florida's governor on Wednesday said people need to "chill out" when speculating about a rivalry between the two Republicans.
Speaking in Matlacha, Gov. Ron DeSantis was asked about reports of a "civil war" brewing in the GOP.
"We just finished this election, OK? People just need to chill out a little bit on some of this stuff. I mean, seriously. We just ran an election," DeSantis responded.
WATCH: Florida's governor addresses GOP concerns
DeSantis, a rumored Republican contender for the White House in 2024, assured voters his focus is on the state and not the nation’s highest office.
Without mentioning Trump, DeSantis on Wednesday touted his election night victory, saying Florida was the "biggest bright spot" across the nation for the Republican party, while other states delivered "substandard" performances for the GOP.
"The reason why we won historic victory is that, at the end of the day, we led, we delivered, and we had your back when you needed us. That is why we won big," DeSantis said.
Trump announced his 2024 candidacy on Tuesday night during a highly publicized media event at his Mar-a-Lago property on Palm Beach.
The former president attacked President Joe Biden and his political opponents, saying the U.S. is in "grave trouble" over issues like inflation, immigration, and America's drug problem.
"We will again put America first," Trump said.
WATCH: Trump announces 2024 presidential candidacy
Hours after DeSantis defeated Democratic challenger Charlie Crist in last week's general election, Trump released a lengthy statement, calling DeSantis an "average" governor and taking credit for bolstering the Republican's image.
"Ron DeSanctimonious is playing games!" Trump wrote. "The Fake News asks him if he's going to run if President Trump runs, and he says, 'I'm only focused on the Governor's race, I'm not looking into the future.' Well, in terms of loyalty and class, that's really not the right answer."
In Fort Walton Beach on Tuesday, DeSantis appeared to brush off Trump's comments, telling a crowd of supporters that "when you're getting things done, you take incoming fire. That's just the nature of it."
"What you learn is, all that is just noise. And really what matters is, are you leading? Are you getting in front of issues? Are you delivering results for people? And are you standing up for folks? And if you do that, then none of that stuff matters," DeSantis said. "And that is what we've done. We've focused on results."
WATCH: Florida's governor reacts to Trump's comments
