Ron DeSantis rips Donald Trump’s Israel comments

Ron-DeSantis-Donald-Trump
'We need to all be on the same page.'

In New Hampshire to officially file for the state’s GOP Primary, Ron DeSantis attacked Donald Trump over recent comments the former President made about Israel’s lack of readiness for Hamas attacks last weekend.

“Now’s not the time to be doing, like what Donald Trump did, attacking Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, attacking Israel’s defense minister, saying somehow that Hezbollah were very smart. We need to all be on the same page, now’s not the time to air personal grievances about an Israeli Prime Minister. Now’s the time to support their right to defend themselves to the hilt,” DeSantis told reporters.

Trump described Hezbollah as “very smart” during remarks in West Palm Beach on Wednesday, while contending Netanyahu “let us down.” During an interview the same day with Fox News Radio, Trump said the veteran Prime Minister wasn’t “prepared” for attacks over the weekend.

Though the Governor does not manage his X account personally, there was a post condemning Trump’s comments late Wednesday evening.

“Terrorists have murdered at least 1,200 Israelis and 22 Americans and are holding more hostage, so it is absurd that anyone, much less someone running for President, would choose now to attack our friend and ally, Israel, much less praise Hezbollah terrorists as ‘very smart.’ As President, I will stand with Israel and treat terrorists like the scum that they are,” DeSantis posted.

The Governor has a number of campaign stops Thursday afternoon in New Hampshire, it’s likely he will continue to attack the former President for insufficiently supporting Israel.

However, it’s an open question as to whether the new line of criticism will change an increasingly familiar trend of DeSantis falling in Granite State polls.

According to the Race to the White House polling average, his 11% is good for third place, behind Trump (46%) and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (15%).

But other polls have shown Haley further ahead in the battle for second. A USA Today/Boston Globe/Suffolk Poll released last week showed her with 19%, nearly doubling DeSantis’ 10%.

Earlier this week, he said he’s ready to compete in the “very volatile” battle in the first-in-the-nation GOP Primary.

“We’ve laid the groundwork, and that’s what we did over the summer. And then now that we’re in the fall, we’re going to be in New Hampshire a lot. So, I think you’re going to see a lot of activity for us. You want to peak in New Hampshire, at the end of the year, the beginning of next year. You don’t want to peak in the summer before,” DeSantis said on the “Good Morning New Hampshire” radio show.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


10 comments

  • My Take

    October 12, 2023 at 3:31 pm

    DeSSgusting panderer.
    And Trump is mild compared to what Israelis are openly saying and publishing about Benito Naziyahoo.
    And, smart or not, Hezbollah has been effective. They ran the Israelis out of Lebabnon. No small rask.
    Time to consider facts, and not just positions.

  • My Take

    October 12, 2023 at 4:06 pm

    What horror has Hamas commited that Putin hasn’t commited . . . and recently?
    Yet DeSSgustus works up no sweat over Putin’s ONGOING cŕimes. Quite the opposite.
    DeSScumtis is more like it.

    • Ron DeFascist

      October 12, 2023 at 4:09 pm

      Just like most in the Republican party, Ron DeSantis is in Putin’s pocket. So he’s not allowed to criticize him.

  • PeterH

    October 12, 2023 at 4:28 pm

    House Republicans can’t decide on leadership and DeSantis is worried about being on the same page regarding Israel! You would think Trump or Desantis have a voice worth listening to!

    • Rick Whitaker

      October 13, 2023 at 8:43 am

      no i wouldn’t think maga cult people like trump and desantis would have anything worth listening to, now, in the past, or in the future. maga cult is insane, i don’t listen to insane aholes. i know you were just stating the obvious, but i never give them any wiggle room, they have proven to be substandard humans over and over

  • My Take

    October 12, 2023 at 6:22 pm

    Will Israel ground-invade Gaza?
    If so, Gaza may resemble onè giant Warsaw Ghetto.
    But for a different purpose of course.
    But what wìll be the purpose?

    • Rick Whitaker

      October 13, 2023 at 8:44 am

      to prove they are the “chosen people “

  • My Take

    October 12, 2023 at 10:01 pm

    Hèzbollah — Partý of God
    I’m surprised the GOPers haven’t adopted the translated name.

    • Rick Whitaker

      October 13, 2023 at 8:48 am

      the battle of the gods, sounds like a wrestling match hype

  • My Take

    October 13, 2023 at 7:18 am

    There is going to be a test of how smart Hezbollah is. If theý stay out of this war, they are smart.

Comments are closed.


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