In a recent interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis defended his decision to cut off funding to radical pro-Palestinian student groups and his continued participation in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, despite lagging behind former President Donald Trump in the polls.
The host, Kristen Welker, questioned DeSantis about whether Trump's mounting legal issues were the reason he had chosen to stay in the race. DeSantis responded, "No. I think that had Alvin Bragg not politicized this back in April, I think that probably the primary be looking different." He was referring to the Manhattan district attorney who initiated the first criminal case against Trump earlier this year.
DeSantis argued that Bragg's actions had actually increased support for the former President, as people felt he was being treated unfairly. He said, "I think that gave the former president more support. I think people felt that he was being treated unfairly, which he was in that circumstance."
The Florida governor also addressed criticism over his recent announcement that the State University System of Florida would be cutting off funding to the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) group. Some, including 2024 rival and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, have criticized the move as an attack on free speech.
DeSantis countered this criticism on "Meet the Press," arguing that the SJP had aligned itself with terrorist groups like Hamas, which was responsible for the deadly surprise attack on Israel on October 7. He said, "This group, they themselves, said in the aftermath of the Hamas attack, that they dont just stand in solidarity that they are part of this Hamas movement."
He added, "And so you have a right to go out and demonstrate, but you cant provide material support to terrorism." DeSantis questioned the wisdom of allowing groups that openly support terrorist organizations to flourish, saying, "Are we just gonna commit suicide as a country and let groups metastasize who were openly siding with brutal terrorist organizations? I dont think thats a recipe for a successful country."
DeSantis, who is positioning himself as a champion of Israel, also highlighted Florida's recent efforts to assist a private company in evacuating people from the conflict-ridden nation.
However, his support for Israel has not shielded him from criticism. Last week, Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.), the only Jewish Republican in the state legislature, switched his endorsement from DeSantis to Trump, partly because he felt the governor had not been vocal enough in opposing neo-Nazi harassment in Florida.
In response, DeSantis said, "Well, hes just trying to get his 15 minutes of fame. I mean, this guy was singing my praises a couple of months ago. Hes got his different reasons why hes doing that. We have acted very, very swiftly and decisively."
While DeSantis acknowledged the political fallout from Trump's numerous criminal charges, he emphasized that the focus should be on the future, not the past. He said, "Its not about all these other issues. Its ultimately about how do you get in and reverse the countrys decline."
Trump is currently facing 34 counts for alleged hush money payments to silence porn star Stormy Daniels and others during the 2016 election cycle, two federal cases involving 40 counts for alleged classified document hoarding and four counts related to 2020 election subversion, as well as 13 counts for alleged 2020 election tampering in Georgia. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
During the interview, Welker also questioned DeSantis about Florida's gun laws in light of the recent mass shooting in Maine, where a US Army reservist with a history of mental health issues killed 18 people and wounded 13 others.
DeSantis said he would be more aggressive in dealing with "fringe people" who pose a significant danger to society. However, he rejected the idea of red flag laws, which allow authorities to temporarily confiscate an individual's firearms if they exhibit erratic behavior. He said, "I dont believe in this idea that government can just take someones property and then go through due process later."
The third 2024 GOP debate, which Welker will co-moderate with fellow NBC anchor Lester Holt and conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, is scheduled for November 8 in DeSantis' home state. Trump is expected to skip the debate and instead attend a planned rally in Hialeah, Florida, just a 30-minute drive from the debate venue.
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