Mr DeSantis, the Florida governor, has seen his star rise among Republicans with his anti-lockdown, anti-mandate approach to the pandemic.

At just 43, Mr DeSantis is already considered a potential successor to Mr Trump as leader of the Republican Party.

Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis’ keynote addresses at CPAC come amid reports of a rift between the pair, with Mr DeSantis conspicuously refraining from promising to stand aside if the former president runs again in 2024.

Professor Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, said the conference offered potential Republican candidates an opportunity to tap into Mr Trump’s base.

“What normally happens at CPAC is other candidates, like DeSantis, will say ‘isn’t Donald Trump the greatest thing since cream cheese? And of course, I’m the greatest thing since sliced bread. Wouldn’t we make a great team?’,” he told The Telegraph.

He predicted that a number of Republicans were likely to declare their candidacy regardless of whether Mr Trump ran for re-election.

“They’re gonna take their shot because they really do have nothing to lose by doing it. Trump is 75 so you do have a limited future. And if the field should open up for 2024 because Trump decides not to run or physically isn’t able to then you’re going to have a cast of thousands,” he said.

Amid rising tensions, Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis pair have taken thinly veiled swipes at each other over their approach to the pandemic in recent weeks.

Mr Trump has criticised “gutless” politicians who have not revealed whether they have taken a Covid-19 booster. Mr DeSantis refused to disclose whether he had received the
jab in a recent interview.

The Florida governor in turn said he regretted not speaking out “much louder” against the former president’s decision to impose lockdowns in 2020.

Several other Republican presidential contenders, including senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Mr Trump’s former secretary of state Mike Pompeo, plan to take the stage at CPAC.