Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis touched on a variety of issues during a CNN town hall in Iowa Thursday night, criticizing former President Donald Trump for failing to fulfill his 2016 promises and breaking President Biden's record.
Mr. DeSantis took aim at Mr. Trump, telling the audience that the Republican Party would “collapse and burn” in 2022.
“Donald Trump's handpicked candidates lost because they have a strategy that Democrats can implement,” DeSantis said. “You don't want this to be a referendum on President Trump and the past. You want it to be a referendum on Biden's failures and our positive vision for this country. That's what I suggest.”
“We need someone who can serve two terms, and even if he's elected, he'll be there as a lame duck president,” DeSantis continued. “I don't think it will work there. We need a change agent in Washington. We need someone to come in there and actually loosen up the bureaucracy. Mr. Trump promised that and didn't do it. We need agents of change in Washington.''The president wants to build a wall to stop border violations, which President Trump promised but didn't do. ”
DeSantis criticized President Trump for not achieving his presidential goals in 2016 and running on the same platform.
“When I say I'm going to do something, take it to the bank,” DeSantis said. “I'll do it.”
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DeSantis participated in a CNN town hall in Iowa on Thursday. (CNN)
DeSantis also attacked Trump on abortion, saying “of course” the former president is not pro-life.
“When you say pro-life protections are a terrible thing, by definition you're not pro-life. When you say you want to enact a federal law that will override states like Iowa in 18 or 20 weeks, you're not pro-life. was enacted, Being against pro-life would mean more abortions, not fewer, because abortions rarely occur that late anyway,” DeSantis said. explained. I was turned upside down on this issue. ”
”I don't know if it's because of political expediency or if this is all he always believed. But here's the problem. Some of the issues are fairly basic. How do you overturn something like the sanctity of life? ”
Mr. DeSantis spoke about the illegal immigration crisis, specifically how fentanyl is flowing across the border and killing Americans.
“How many deaths from fentanyl is enough? Should we just sit here and let it go?” DeSantis said. “I think the president not only has the right, but the responsibility, to fight back against these people.”
”I'm tired of seeing the carnage in this country, and while traveling through Iowa, I met angel parents who lost their children to fentanyl overdoses. aAnd in many cases, they are not drug addicts. You're probably a college student feeling stressed during exams. So they bought pills, thinking they would help them get through the night, but the pills turned out to contain fentanyl. That may be enough to poison the student. And this ends up breaking up the family. It's destroying communities. People in Washington DC just shrug their shoulders. They may not really care about what's going on. ”
DeSantis cited Joe Biden's foreign policy record in condemning the disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying it sent a clear message to America's enemies abroad.
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks to members of the media after an event on Thursday, July 27, 2023, in Chariton, Iowa. ((Sergio Flores, Washington Post, via Getty Images))
“The circumstances in which he left Afghanistan were absolutely disgraceful,” DeSantis said. “So it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of the veterans who served there. It's humiliating for this country to see so many weapons and supplies taken by the Taliban and 13 people killed. But it sent a signal to people like Russia and Iran that now was the time to act.”
“If I were president, things would be very different. You know, we're going to have very clear standards and people will know not to interfere with the United States. It will be.”
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, speaks at the 2023 Church of Christ in Israel Summit on July 17, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia. ((Photo credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images))
Mr. DeSantis was asked about gay marriage, in light of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's recent comments that gay marriage was wrong in the past.
“I respect the Supreme Court's decision,” DeSantis said. “Florida has complied with that, but [state] The Constitution defines it as between a man and a woman. But I think what we need to realize is that people are exercising power over our religious groups and trying to marginalize them just by upholding the Biblical definition. So I intend to protect these religious institutions so that they can do what has been done in the past in terms of considering marriage as a sacrament. ”
DeSantis also touted his ability to work across the aisle, especially in the event of a national disaster. He even praised Mr. Biden for not taking political advantage of Hurricane Ian, which caused extensive damage in Florida last September.
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”As president, when we have a national disaster like this, I don't care whether it's a Republican governor like Kim Reynolds, who I'm very close with, or a liberal governor like the next one. [California Gov. Gavin] Newsom, you may disagree with me, but when you find yourself in a situation like this, leaders have to take the lead and put politics aside. ”
DeSantis' town hall appearance comes less than two weeks before the Iowa caucuses, the first campaign of the 2024 Republican nomination cycle. Florida's governor currently has an approval rating of 18.6% in the Hawkeye State. Actual clear political meanis trailing Trump in the lead with 51.3% and slightly ahead of rival Nikki Haley (16.1%).
