Mark Meadows, the former chief of staff to President Trump, told News media on Tuesday that an alleged feud between Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis and Trump regarding the 2024 presidential election was a "distraction."

Americans "want Donald Trump back in the White House," Meadows reassured host Jenn Pellegrino.

"I can tell you, Gov. DeSantis is doing a great job in Florida, but he's also smart enough to know that this is the party of Trump. This will continue to be," Meadows continued.

"It's his decision on whether he runs for president or not, but I can tell you, if he does, it won't be Ron DeSantis challenging him. It will be the media trying to create this conflict that obviously is not there."

The statement by Meadows comes amid media reports Trump is privately trashing the Florida governor as "dull" and without a realistic chance at winning in 2024, according to Axios.

A second source reportedly added Trump is irritated DeSantis "won't say he won't run [in 2024]," as other speculated challengers have already confirmed they will not challenge him, Axios noted.

Meadows added he was "surprised how rapidly" the country was shifting to the right ahead of 2024, with a recent Gallup survey suggesting party preference shifted from 49% Democrat/lean Democrat and 40% Republican/lean Republican in the first quarter of 2021 to 47% Republican/lean Republican and 42% Democrat/lean Democrat in the last quarter of the year.

"And why is that? Because Joe Biden's policies are not Donald Trump's policies," Meadows concluded. "Donald Trump policies work. Joe Biden's obviously are not, and they're reminded of it every time they go to the gas pump, every time they go to the grocery store they're reminded of it.

"And they're going to go to the ballot box and make sure their voice is heard in 2022 and 2024."