Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Takes Aim at Former President Trump in CNN Town Hall
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made headlines on Tuesday as he appeared on a CNN town hall in Iowa, where he launched a series of attacks against former President Donald Trump. With the state’s caucuses less than five weeks away, DeSantis used the opportunity to contrast his record as governor with Trump in every instance possible.
During the town hall, DeSantis blamed Trump for rising inflation and the border crisis, claiming that Trump failed to complete the wall at the US-Mexico border and did not deliver on his promise of Mexico paying for it. He also criticized Trump for his stance on abortion and even blamed him for the controversial Satanic Temple of Iowa’s tax-exempt status.
While DeSantis’ usual conservative culture war-infused buzzwords were notably missing from his speeches and town halls, he took the opportunity to focus on issues that polls show are top of mind for the broader electorate. DeSantis used the event to repeatedly attack Trump, even criticizing him for his actions at the start of the Covid pandemic.
The Florida governor launched a total of eight attacks on the former president during the hour-long town hall, marking a striking departure from his usual approach. He also criticized Trump for his strong opposition to abortion rights while in office and accused him of “flip-flopping on the right to life.”
DeSantis’ newfound urgency to go after Trump in the public eye has been seen as an attempt to close his polling gap in the Hawkeye State. He has previously retreated from criticizing Trump, but his mounting urgency to make headway in the state is evident.
Readers also learned DeSantis faced criticism – including within the GOP – for signing a law that bans most abortions after about six weeks earlier this year, with Trump implying it was “too harsh.” DeSantis argued that Florida’s law includes exceptions for cases of rape, incest, pregnancies that jeopardize the life of the mother, and fatal fetal defects.
Despite the criticisms, DeSantis’ town hall appearance showed a clear shift in focus as he ditched his usual culture war rhetoric in favor of issues that are more palatable for a general audience. The governor touched on various hot button topics, delivering a message that seemed tailored for a broader appeal.
DeSantis’ CNN town hall may mark the beginning of a more aggressive approach towards Trump as he vies for the Republican nomination. The governor’s apparent readiness to go after Trump in the public eye shows a new sense of urgency in his campaign.