Tipsheet

DeSantis Finally Speaks Out on Trump

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  March 22, 2023 7:30 AM

After months of taking shots from former President Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is finally hitting back. 

During a Fox Nation interview with Piers Morgan that airs Thursday, DeSantis draws clear distinctions with Trump on several fronts and tells Morgan to “stay tuned” on an expected 2024 announcement. 

Regarding leadership styles, DeSantis emphasizes his “no daily drama” approach. 

“I also think just in terms of my approach to leadership, I get personnel in the Government who have the agenda of the people and share our agenda,” DeSantis says. “You bring your own agenda in you’re gone. We’re just not gonna have that. So, the way we run the Government I think is no daily drama, focus on the big picture and put points on the board and I think that’s something that’s very important.”

On the pandemic, DeSantis “would have fired somebody like Fauci” because “he got way too big for his britches, and I think he did a lot of damage.”

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The Florida governor also addresses the nicknames Trump’s given him.

“I don’t know how to spell the sanctimonious one,” he told Morgan. “I don’t really know what it means, but I kinda like it, it’s long, it’s got a lot of vowels. We’ll go with that, that’s fine. I mean you can call me whatever you want, just as long as you also call me a winner because that’s what we’ve been able to do in Florida, is put a lot of points on the board and really take this State to the next level.”

On the constant attacks from Trump, DeSantis dismisses it as “background noise.” 

“It’s not important for me to be fighting with people on social media,” he explained. “It’s not accomplishing anything for the people I represent. So, we really just focus on knocking out victories, day after day, and if I got involved in all the under tow I would not be able to be an effective governor. So, I don’t think it’s something that makes sense for me.”

And to DeSantis, personal integrity is key.

"At the end of the day as a leader, you really want to look to people like our Founding Fathers, like what type of character, it’s not saying that you don’t ever make a mistake in your personal life, but I think what type of character are you bringing? So, somebody who really set the standard is George Washington because he always put the Republic over his own personal interest," DeSantis says. "When we won the American Revolution, Washington surrendered his sword." 

Morgan also discusses DeSantis’ relationship with Trump and where he believes the “big break-up” occurred: “You got too popular.”

DeSantis laughs and tells Morgan that he believes Republicans should want what’s best for the country. 

“I want other Republicans to do well. I want them to eclipse me. We’re setting a great standard in Florida, have everyone up their game.”

Trump's most ardent supporters didn't take kindly to the interview and denounced DeSantis as an "establishment Never Trump who despises the MAGA base," but Morgan was quick to fire back at some of the criticism.