Florida Governor Ron DeSantis covered a wide range of topics during a CNN town hall event, taking shots at his 2024 GOP rivals including former President Donald Trump, and tackling hot issues like immigration and Ukraine.
The Republican presidential candidate answered audience questions about his political views and even took time to laud his wife, Casey, and her successful battle against breast cancer, saying “People’s prayers were answered.”
Everything Casey had to go through, I did what I could to help the family, but as a husband, I wish I could have done the chemo for her so she didn’t have to. pic.twitter.com/YuKwFJYZ0s
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) December 13, 2023
“When you see somebody that you love go through the chemo and it just sucks the life out of you,” he added as he spoke with host Jake Tapper.
Among the questions about foreign policy, DeSantis contended it was an “easy” choice between current conflicts in Israel and Ukraine when deciding where the U.S. should throw its greatest support.
“That’s an easy answer. It’s the state of Israel, they are our strongest allies in the Middle East,” he said. He also added that “in terms of the two-state solution, I don’t think you can have a two-state solution when the Palestinian Arabs will view it as a stepping stone to the destruction of Israel.”
But the GOP leader was also adamant that the ongoing crisis at the U.S. southern border should be prioritized over fixing overseas issues.
“Day one, we’re going to declare it a national emergency. I’m sending the military to the southern border. We’re going to stop the invasion,” DeSantis said.
Day One we’re going to declare it a national emergency.
I’m sending the military to the southern border.
When people are here illegally, they have to be sent back. pic.twitter.com/WXBUHINKlu
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) December 13, 2023
“If Trump had built the border wall, it would have been very difficult for Biden to bring in all those many people,” he told Tapper as he repeated his criticisms of the former president.
“Talk is cheap and I’m sick of Republicans using the issue every election cycle to try to get donations and to try to tell the people they’re going to do it. We are going to bring the issue to a conclusion,” DeSantis vowed.
His criticism of Trump is not new, as he has previously called out the former president who lives in Florida on the border issue. Though Trump is leading by double digits in most major polls, DeSantis is confident he is the “only” candidate who can beat him in the primary.
Donald Trump has refused to debate throughout this campaign.
He doesn’t think he owes it to Iowans. He doesn’t think he owes to Granite Staters to show up and debate.
Nobody is entitled to this nomination. pic.twitter.com/kQQNirAazt
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) December 13, 2023
“I’m the only one running that can beat Trump one on one. Why? Because the other candidates cannot get enough support from core Republicans and transitional conservatives,” he claimed.
“He’s a different Donald Trump than 2015 and 2016. Back then he was colorful, but it was really America first about the policies. Now a lot of it’s about him,” he added, calling out Trump for not taking part in the four presidential primary debates.
He took shots at another 2024 rival, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley as he criticized her endorsement from Gov. Chris Sununu, R-N.H., on Tuesday.
Ron DeSantis on Chris Sununu backing Nikki Haley,
His response is brilliantI am looking forward to campaigning with him when I’m the nominee.
What a class act #DeSantisForPresident pic.twitter.com/x690X3ZDk8
— Mike Gee ✡️ (@MikeGeeNY00) December 13, 2023
“Even a campaigner as good as Chris is not going to be able to paper over Nikki being an establishment candidate. I mean, she’s getting funded by liberal Democrats from California, like the founder of LinkedIn, people on Wall Street like the head of JP Morgan,” DeSantis said. “She’s really reflective of the old failed Republican establishment of yesteryear. We do not need to go back to that.”
On the topics of abortion and healthcare, DeSantis laid out his views but kept what he saw as Trump’s failings in constant view, accusing him of “flip-flopping on the right to life” issue.
What is your stance on the right to life @RonDeSantis
Best answer yet #DeSantisForPresident pic.twitter.com/bhTeuX1lYt— Mike Gee ✡️ (@MikeGeeNY00) December 13, 2023
DeSantis told the townhall audience that “the biggest health care issue we’ve had in this country in the last four or five years is COVID-19,” and pledged, “I am going to bring a reckoning to those agencies that lied to this country, the CDC, NIH, FDA, people like Fauci, all those things that really harm this country. And yet nobody’s been held accountable.”
DeSantis also called for Americans to unite again and for an end to divisive political rhetoric.
I’m going to take strong stands. I’m going to deliver big results.
What I’m not going to do is go out of my way to alienate people for no reason. pic.twitter.com/bD6NvTBXny
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) December 13, 2023
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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