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Ron DeSantis criticizes Trump over Israeli leader's 'betrayal' comment
Florida Governor DeSantis criticizes Trump for attacking Netanyahu after Hamas assault on Israel.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis launched a scathing attack on former President Donald Trump, accusing him of criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the wake of the October 7 Hamas assault on Israel. DeSantis made these remarks during a campaign stop in New Hampshire, where he expressed concern over Trump's recent comments.
Trump had previously stated that he would "never forget" that Netanyahu "let us down" by trying to take credit for the 2020 assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the leader of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force. The former president also made controversial remarks about the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
On Friday, Trump partially backtracked from his comments, posting "#IStandWithIsrael #IStandWithBibi" on his Truth Social website, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname 'Bibi.' However, DeSantis, seen as a leading rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was critical of Trump's earlier statements.
DeSantis stated that Trump's original remarks stemmed from Netanyahu congratulating Joe Biden on his 2020 election victory, an election Trump continues to falsely claim was rigged against him. DeSantis said, "He attacked Bibi after the country suffered the worst attack it's had in its modern history when they've just created a war government, they're preparing to do a ground invasion in Gaza...He hates Netanyahu because of that. That's about him. That's not about the greater good of what Israel's trying to do or American security."
The Florida governor also urged Trump to forgo the teleprompter and participate in debates to reveal his true stance on such matters, adding, “So, we've seen over the course every interview, every time he's gotten off the teleprompter for, like, the last two months, they've had to clean things up for what he's saying.”
DeSantis expressed his disappointment with the evolution of Trump's rhetoric since the 2016 campaign, describing it as "a different guy" and “sad to see.” This public disagreement within the Republican ranks didn't stop with DeSantis. Former Vice President Mike Pence, also vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, condemned Trump's comments, calling them "reckless and irresponsible." Pence stressed the importance of offering "full and unconditional support to Israel" during these challenging times.
