In an interview appearance with conservative media personality Ben Shapiro, Republican presidential contender and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) took former President Trump to task.
DeSantis did this over Trump’s alleged signs of weakness during his presidential term.
Thanks to @RonDeSantis for coming on today’s show. Here’s our full interview:pic.twitter.com/Wh8bxOFhot
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) May 26, 2023
DeSantis cited Trump’s allegedly weak track record on immigration, his decision to sign “jailbreak” legislation, and his choice of not asserting complete control over his administration.
DeSantis claimed Trump attacked him for opposing an amnesty bill in the US House. This bill would have granted amnesty to about two million illegal aliens.
The Florida governor opposed the amnesty legislation on the grounds that it violated America First principles.
DeSantis Unloads on Trump
In addition, DeSantis attacked Trump for allowing the likes of Dr. Anthony Fauci to dictate health policies.
He believes by empowering Fauci, the Trump administration brought about many negative consequences for the US and its citizens.
The Florida governor stressed his role in pushing back against Fauci’s policies and providing an alternative model to the heavy-handed lockdown policies Fauci promoted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
On top of that, DeSantis criticized the Trump administration’s DHS and FBI for carrying out extralegal actions against Americans.
He asserted Trump could not wield control over his agencies. Further, DeSantis argued under his watch, individuals responsible for such derelict behavior would be fired on the spot.
DeSantis Promises a Different America First Vision
The Florida governor then took issue with Trump’s First Step Act, a criminal justice reform bill that Trump signed into law.
DeSantis described it as Trump’s “jailbreak” bill. He believes dangerous individuals were being set free from prison without adequate rehabilitation, thereby leading to incidents of recidivism and deteriorating public safety.
As president, DeSantis promised to repeal the First Step Act and stressed the need for individuals to serve their full prison sentences.
Trump mocked DeSantis, as the Twitter livestream experienced a few technical difficulties throughout DeSantis' conversation with Twitter CEO Elon Musk.https://t.co/dkP4PkFF1m
— CBS Austin (@cbsaustin) May 25, 2023
Prior to assuming the role as Florida’s governor, DeSantis served in Congress from 2013 to 2018, representing Florida’s 6th congressional district.
