President Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE said Sunday that former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBogeymen of the far left deserve a place in any Biden administration Overnight Defense: Woodward book causes new firestorm | Book says Trump lashed out at generals, told Woodward about secret weapons system | US withdrawing thousands of troops from Iraq A socially and environmentally just way to fight climate change MORE's exit from the 2020 race was a sign that the Democratic establishment was coalescing around former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenThe Memo: Warning signs flash for Trump on debates Senate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden National postal mail handlers union endorses Biden MORE in an attempt to stop Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll Schumer, Sanders call for Senate panel to address election security MORE (I-Vt.).

Trump predicted in a tweet that the majority of Buttigieg's votes in Super Tuesday states would go to Biden, thereby hamstringing Sanders's chances of obtaining the Democratic nomination.

"Pete Buttigieg is OUT," Trump wrote. "All of his SuperTuesday votes will go to Sleepy Joe Biden. Great timing. This is the REAL beginning of the Dems taking Bernie out of play - NO NOMINATION, AGAIN!"

Pete Buttigieg is OUT. All of his SuperTuesday votes will go to Sleepy Joe Biden. Great timing. This is the REAL beginning of the Dems taking Bernie out of play - NO NOMINATION, AGAIN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2020

The president has frequently played up in his tweets the idea that Democratic elites are conspiring to withhold the Democratic nomination from Sanders, an accusation Sanders's own supporters alleged occurred in 2016.

Buttigieg performed impressively in the Iowa caucuses earlier this year, virtually tying Sanders in the overall vote share and slightly leading him in the overall allocation of state delegates. In subsequent primary contests, he failed to perform similarly, coming in a distant fourth place in Saturday's South Carolina primary.