Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticized former President Donald Trump, accusing him of being weak on crime and immigration and ceding decision-making to Dr. Anthony Fauci during the pandemic. DeSantis pledged to repeal the First Step Act, a criminal justice measure signed into law by Trump in 2018, which expanded early-release programs and modified sentencing laws. However, DeSantis himself voted for the first version of the bill when he was in Congress, which Trump allies have sought to highlight. DeSantis also bristled at Trump’s recent criticism that crime had risen on his watch in Florida, accusing Trump’s policies of undermining law and order.
Based on a recent report by The New York Times, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has intensified his feud with former President Donald J. Trump. In a recent appearance with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, Mr. DeSantis accused Mr. Trump, the G.O.P. front-runner, of being weak on crime and immigration issues and ceding critical decision-making during the coronavirus pandemic to Dr. Anthony S. Fauci.
Mr. DeSantis pledged to repeal what is known as the First Step Act, a bipartisan criminal justice measure signed into law by Mr. Trump in 2018 that expanded early-release programs and modified sentencing laws, including mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenders. He claimed that the bill has allowed dangerous people out of prison who have reoffended and hurt a number of people.
However, Mr. DeSantis’s attacks on Mr. Trump over the First Step Act could potentially backfire. Mr. DeSantis himself voted for the first version of the bill when he was in Congress, and Trump allies have sought to highlight that fact. “So now Swampy Politician Ron DeSanctimonious is claiming he voted for it before he voted against it,” said Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Mr. Trump. “He sounds just like John Kerry. What a phony! He can’t run away from his disastrous, embarrassing, and low-energy campaign announcement. Rookie mistakes and unforced errors — that’s who he is.”
Despite this, Mr. DeSantis has continued to criticize Mr. Trump, accusing him of “moving left” on criminal justice and immigration issues after winning over the party’s base in 2015 and 2016. Mr. DeSantis has positioned himself as a more conservative alternative to Mr. Trump, pledging to crack down on crime and illegal immigration.
When Mr. Shapiro asked Mr. DeSantis about Mr. Trump’s recent criticism that crime had risen on his watch in Florida, the former president’s adopted state, Mr. DeSantis bristled and said Mr. Trump’s policies had undermined law and order. Mr. DeSantis stepped up his attacks on his onetime ally, whom he had avoided criticizing.
Mr. DeSantis also criticized Mr. Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, accusing him of ceding critical decision-making to Dr. Fauci. “I think that was a mistake,” Mr. DeSantis said. “I think we should have had a more balanced approach. I think the idea that you could just lock down society indefinitely, I think that was a mistake.”
Mr. DeSantis has been widely praised for his handling of the pandemic in Florida, which has been one of the most open states in the country. However, he has also faced criticism for his decision to prioritize older residents for vaccination, which some have argued has contributed to a surge in cases among younger people.
Despite his criticisms of Mr. Trump, Mr. DeSantis has not yet announced whether he will run for president in 2024. However, he is widely considered to be a potential contender for the Republican nomination.
To draw a final conclusion, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has escalated his hostilities with former President Donald J. Trump, accusing him of being weak on crime and immigration and ceding critical decision-making during the coronavirus pandemic to Dr. Anthony S. Fauci. Mr. DeSantis has positioned himself as a more conservative alternative to Mr. Trump, pledging to crack down on crime and illegal immigration. However, his attacks on Mr. Trump over the First Step Act could potentially backfire, given that he himself voted for the first version of the bill when he was in Congress.
