As Ron DeSantis continues to show signs that he’s willing to take on Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination, the Florida governor sat down for a new interview with Piers Morgan where he took a notable shot at Trump’s handling of the pandemic. The moment came after Morgan asked DeSantis what makes him different from the former president, and DeSantis went straight for a Republican bogeyman that he claims he would’ve dealt with.
“The approach to COVID was different. I would have fired somebody like Fauci,” DeSantis said. “I think he got way too big for his britches, and I think he did a lot of damage.”
DeSantis also called out Trump for his “daily drama,” which is particularly poignant as the former president is reportedly facing a possible indictment in New York. Via Fox News:
The governor, a top rumored contender for the 2024 GOP nomination, said that he and Trump also differ “in terms of my approach to leadership… 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.”
However, despite knowing he’ll have to take on Trump in a primary, DeSantis made it a point to note that, “if I were running,” his true opponent would be Joe Biden.
“We are competing for the Republican [nomination], potentially, I get that, but ultimately you know the guy I’m gonna focus on is Biden because I think he’s failed the country,” DeSantis said. “I think the country wants a change. I think they want a fresh start and a new direction, and so we’ll be very vocal about that.”
When asked if he thinks he can beat Biden, DeSantis responded, “I think so,” which would be another stark difference from Trump if DeSantis can actually pull it off. Heavy emphasis on the if.
(Via Fox News)