Ron DeSantis Reacts to Nikki Haley's Social Media Comments

As Matt covered on Tuesday, former Ambassador Nikki Haley really drew some strong reactions as she claimed during a Fox News interview that anonymous social media users had to be "verified by their name," otherwise it constituted "a national security threat." Christina Pushaw, of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign, posted the clip. It caught on from there, as various DeSantis supporters and campaign accounts, but also others, posted their reactions.

NEW: Nikki Haley asserts that allowing people to post on social media anonymously is a "national security threat". She promises that as president, she will force "every person on social media" to be "verified by their name."

I am no lawyer but isn't this blatantly… pic.twitter.com/MD7CcBZL5r
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) November 14, 2023

Later on Tuesday, DeSantis himself responded, as he referenced other "anonymous writers back in the day," which included the Founding Fathers when they wrote the Federalist Papers.

DeSantis' post linked Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison to "many conservative Americans" who use social media anonymously.

The governor went even further in that he likened Haley's proposal to Communist China, also calling it "dangerous and unconstitutional" and noting it "will be dead on arrival in my administration."

You know who were anonymous writers back in the day? Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison when they wrote the Federalist Papers.

They were not "national security threats," nor are the many conservative Americans across the country who exercise their Constitutional… https://t.co/YkAGMhUVCX
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) November 15, 2023

Haley's campaign expained as part of a statement to RealClearPolitics' Philip Wegmann that doesn't support "letting the Chinese and Iranians create anonymous accounts to spread chaos and anti-American filth among our people," doubling down on the concerns with "a national security threat." The campaigns also traded barbs over China.

Full response from Press Secretary @BryanDGriffin on Haley's third failed cleanup attempt:

"Once again, Nikki Haley admits she's out of touch on a key issue and then runs for cover when the heat gets turned up on her. But it's no wonder she's running from this one. This idea… https://t.co/JfNodJk7B9
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) November 15, 2023

Haley had also tried to clarify her remarks during her appearance on CNBC's "Squawk Box," insisting "we need our social media companies to verify everybody," while also sharing "I don't mind anonymous American people having free speech.

Because we can all certainly trust social media companies to hold and protect our personal information.

What could go wrong? https://t.co/we65Tw2FN6
— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) November 15, 2023

HALEY CLEAN-UP ATTEMPT: "I don't mind anonymous American people having free speech. What I don't like is anonymous Russian, Chinese and Iranians having free speech."

...Excuse me?! Does @NikkiHaley realize that Putin, Xi, and the ayatollahs agree with her on this? Foreign… https://t.co/uu9EEc6G4v
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) November 15, 2023

An Wednesday email about "Nikki Haley's Rough Day" from DeSantis Communications Director Andrew Romeo mentioned Matt's coverage, as well as coverage from Fox News, the Washington Examiner, and National Review in response to Haley's remarks.

This may go beyond DeSantis-Haley, though. Leading in the polls is still former and potentially future President Donald Trump. In a subsequent post in that same thread about Haley's remarks, Pushaw posted a 2013 post from Trump that was similar in nature.

"It should be mandatory that all haters and losers use their real name or identification when tweeting - they will no longer be so brave!," the post read.

I was wondering where @NikkiHaley got the idea that the federal government should ban anonymous speech on social media. Perhaps from the WEF conference in China that she attended and listened to the CCP premier keynote?
Or perhaps her former boss.... https://t.co/ehz0A9bcCd pic.twitter.com/itfXH6WJvM
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) November 14, 2023