Ron DeSantis Slams 'Fox News People' for Never Criticizing Donald Trump: 'Someone May Yell'

In a fiery exchange on Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis did not mince words as he aimed at former President Donald Trump's stance on abortion. DeSantis, while campaigning in Iowa, criticized Trump's flip-flop on heartbeat protection bills, which the real estate mogul had previously labeled as a 'terrible, terrible thing,' as per Yahoo. The governor expressed his disagreement with Trump's position, emphasizing its inconsistency with a pro-life stance, and eventually also took a dig at the 'Fox News people' for their inability to criticize the ex-POTUS and hold him accountable, at least for his words.

The governor said, "Now Donald Trump has said that heartbeat protection bills are a, quote, ‘terrible, terrible thing,'" before slamming Trump's past statements from the March for Life in January 2020. DeSantis continued, "And first of all, I just fundamentally disagree with his position. That is not a pro-life position, and I disagree with it." 

"But what makes it doubly problematic for me is he stood at the March for Life in January of 2020 and gave a speech, and he said, now, look, he’s reading the teleprompter. Maybe he didn’t mean it, but he read these words where he said that ‘every life is a gift from God, that the unborn is made in the image of God, and that a humane society would provide protections for [those] life,'" said the Florida governor before questioning the sincerity of Trump's words, pointing out the stark contrast between his declaration that 'every life is a gift from God' and his current disapproval of even modest pro-life protections, as per Mediaite.

DeSantis posed a fundamental question, pondering whether Trump's change of position stemmed from a lack of honesty or mere political expediency. DeSantis questioned whether Trump's shift was a result of being influenced by popular opinion, asking, "Was he not being honest then? Has he flipped his position because he’s worried about the finger in the wind?" 

DeSantis didn't stop there; he extended his criticism beyond Trump, aiming at 'Fox News people' and conservative media as a whole. He accused them of failing to hold Trump accountable on critical issues, attributing their silence to a fear of retribution: "All these conservative radio guys and Fox News people... will like never criticize because they’re so concerned that someone may yell at them." 

The governor emphasized the importance of accountability, asserting that anyone running for office must answer to the public. He urged voters to exercise their right to hold politicians accountable when their positions deviate from the values of the community, particularly in northwest Iowa.

The rift between DeSantis and Trump comes at a time when the former President remains a prominent figure within the Republican Party. Fox News, a conservative news network, continues to be aligned with Trump, showcasing him in a live town hall event on January 10. Meanwhile, DeSantis, along with Nikki Haley, finds himself trailing significantly in polls behind Trump, according to the New York Times.

DeSantis isn't alone in his critique of Trump. Chris Christie, another GOP candidate, has also criticized Trump as a focal point of his campaign. However, even with these criticisms, Christie expressed reservations about removing Trump from primary ballots, deeming it 'bad politically.'

As the 2024 presidential primary approaches on March 5, the political landscape remains dynamic, with legal battles surrounding Trump's eligibility on primary ballots in various states. The clash between DeSantis and Trump underscores the broader tensions within the Republican Party, where differing views on critical issues take center stage.