Ron DeSantis says it would take ‘five minutes’ to ‘flatten’ the Bahamas if they attacked Florida
Ron DeSantis. Image via Never Back Down.

desantis iowa 8
The Governor now is saying how long it would take to devastate the Commonwealth.

Florida’s Governor continues to flesh out the seemingly unlikely scenario of a Bahamian attack on the United States, saying it wouldn’t take long to make residents of the island archipelago regret it.

Ron DeSantis is telling Iowans that it would, in fact, take just “five minutes” to “flatten” the commonwealth.

“If people were firing rockets from the Bahamas into like Fort Lauderdale, we would never allow that. I mean, we would flatten them. Within like five minutes, we would flatten them,” he said in Eldridge on Sunday.

Despite the need for the U.S. Embassy in Nassau to clarify that his comments don’t reflect American foreign policy, the Governor continues to use this metaphor to draw a parallel between hypothetical attacks on the U.S. from Nassau and the situation in Israel, where the country is approaching its second full month of response to the terror attacks Oct. 7.

“You know, as Governor of Florida, if somebody from the Bahamas was firing rockets into Fort Lauderdale, we would not accept that,” he said in New Hampshire last month. “We would flatten it, like, in no time. We would never accept that happening to our people.”

“Can you imagine just after our 9/11, if three weeks later, people were demanding that we had a cease-fire against al-Qaida and the Taliban? We would never have done that. And I think to myself as Governor of Florida, if we had, if someone in the Bahamas was launching missiles into Fort Lauderdale, we would not accept that for a minute,” DeSantis vowed in a previous Iowa visit. “We would go in and we would flatten them in no time certain.”

The U.S. government responded to the first DeSantis commentary via the Bahamian press.

“The Bahamas and the United States enjoy an enduring and unique partnership. (Chargé D’affaires Usha Pitts) regrets if DeSantis’ comments suggested anything other than a close alliance between our two democratic nations,” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement to The Nassau Guardian.

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


63 comments

  • Joe

    December 3, 2023 at 4:28 pm

    Why does this ignorant pipsqueak continue to riff on this ridiculous hypothetical?

    In case it hasn’t been noted yet, this is just a terrible campaign for a pathetic candidate without an ounce of foreign policy wisdom in his fat head.

    • Muttonchop

      December 3, 2023 at 11:01 pm

      He keeps repeating this idea because he keeps firing people, so nobody’s around to write him a new speech.

    • Jody

      December 4, 2023 at 12:49 pm

      SAYS WHO YOU??? THE ONL;Y THING PATHETIC IS YOUR COMMENT

      • Joe

        December 4, 2023 at 5:09 pm

        Sick burn, Jody, lol.

      • rick whitaker

        December 4, 2023 at 5:26 pm

        desantis is scum and not fit for public office. surely you can see that, right. if you can’t, then you must have some kind of agenda we’re not privy to. enlighten us.

        • TRP

          December 4, 2023 at 6:24 pm

          Rick- you are very angry man who most likely is full of self loathing because the DVM were you work did not get a day of this year for Veterans Day even though you registered as unconscious objector.

          • rick whitaker

            December 4, 2023 at 8:19 pm

            trp, yes i am very angry. desantis is screwing with real people’s lives and ruining florida. he acts like a narcissistic fool similar to trump. he only cares about himself as narcissist do. that’s the opposite behavior you would expect from a public servant . no i don’t work at the DVM. i’m a retired vietnam war veteran . YES I’M ANGRY, I CARE, THAT’S WHY

          • Hopeless

            December 5, 2023 at 7:44 pm

            LMAO

      • Ron DiSaster

        December 4, 2023 at 8:58 pm

        🤡🤡🤡

    • TTP

      December 4, 2023 at 6:20 pm

      I am very worried that the radical elements of Bahamian fringe groups have the technology to begin raining down rockets of the greater Miami Area at ANYTIME!!!! I just wish they would hit the entire 3 county area…… 🙂

      • Jim

        December 5, 2023 at 7:08 am

        Your worry is justified! In my five trips to Great Abaco in the late 1980s there was talk everywhere that “Fort Lauderdale is toast!” I recall something to the effect of “back to the Stone Age.”

  • DeSantis is Insane

    December 3, 2023 at 4:56 pm

    What in the Holy FÜCK is talking about?

    I’ve heard rumors that this guys mental health is collapsing and this sure would be a sign of it.

    • Andra LaGasse

      December 4, 2023 at 8:46 am

      He’s the best Governor Florida has ever had our State is Safe from China buying and building, unlike other states and he’s Saved countless from abortion!!!! As well as putting Florida residents back to work .He has put immigration laws in effect to stop illegal hiring.!!!!!! Tell me what other Governor has accomplished this. He is a Veteran and has proven he is capable of being President!!?

      • My Take

        December 4, 2023 at 9:02 am

        Degrading a fine university system comes to mind.
        Needlessly killing tens of thousands with covid.
        Making Florida a laughingstock.
        Oh, and The Mouse.
        There’s a little start.

      • JustBabs

        December 4, 2023 at 9:11 am

        Someone has been fed a steady diet of lies and hobbled every crumb.

      • JODY

        December 4, 2023 at 12:56 pm

        The only flaw with DeSantis was the insurance companies hitting us hard after IAN HITTING! HE IS A GOOD GUY BUT HES in too much of a hurry to get to the White House and i know he’s just not ready for that! And! He’s sharp there’s nothing wrong with this man! He’s trying to prove a point by saying indirectly that NOBODY IS GOING TO COME TO FLORIDA AND PULL SHIT CAUSE YOU WILL GET DEAD!! SO TO ALL OF YOU NITWITS KNOCKING HIM WELL I HAVE TWO WORDS FOR YALL AND ITS NOT, GOOD-DAY!

        • My Take

          December 4, 2023 at 1:37 pm

          Shorty has run a campaign of world-clàss incompetrnce. And his serious positions are neàr lunatic. Only fools and fascists support him
          now.

        • rick whitaker

          December 4, 2023 at 7:56 pm

          jody, desantis is a POS. wake up and pay attention to what he says and does. desantis is a POS.

      • Mike

        December 4, 2023 at 2:37 pm

        You’re a bigger idiot than he is.

      • rick whitaker

        December 4, 2023 at 5:30 pm

        andra, you are delusional. do you live in a silo and have no idea about what’s happening outside your silo. did desantis pay you to say that crap?

      • Ron DiSaster

        December 4, 2023 at 8:59 pm

        Well there it is. The stupidest thing i’ll read all week.

      • Hopeless

        December 5, 2023 at 7:49 pm

        I agree, 100%
        Unless you are of the demoncratic party, left-wing nutcases, who only get sicker and sicker, and more hate-filled every day, that they can’t force their sick twisted ways and beliefs on everybody.

        • rick whitaker

          December 5, 2023 at 8:57 pm

          hopeless, what a great name to go by, it fits you perfectly . you’re 100% wrong. enjoy biden’s next 4 years of presidency.

  • John Lentini

    December 3, 2023 at 5:27 pm

    What a dick DeSantis can be! As far as I know, he would have to be elected President to “flatten” the Bahamas (which are already flat). The governor of Florida does not have access to the weapons needed. And there is about as much chance of Bahamas attacking Ft. Lauderdale as there is of this jerk becoming president.

  • My Take

    December 3, 2023 at 5:54 pm

    He would care as much àbout killing Bahamians as Israelis do Arabs.
    Most Bahamians are black.

    • WhatNow

      December 3, 2023 at 8:57 pm

      You like to interject what clearly appear to be your anti-Israel views at *every* “opportunity” you imagine exists? “ Most Bahamians are black” – ok sorry, apparently you’re also fixated on interjecting references to racism at inappropriate if not entirely non-existing “opportunities” as well, my bad. Have any inappropriate references to Native Americans/First Nations to make while you’re at it? Come on, give it a shot…

      • rick whitaker

        December 3, 2023 at 10:48 pm

        what now, my take was telling it like it is. desantis is against everyone but desantis. he and trump are cut from the same extreme narcissistic cloth. israel is flattening gaza. i thought that was a good comparison. and the comment about blacks, well desantis is a hardcore racist, so that fits too. you sound like a hater. do you interject hate into every comment you make?

      • My Take

        December 3, 2023 at 11:36 pm

        Some Bahamians are Seminole extraction.
        They could attack the US saying they are trying to liberate their occupied homeland.
        .
        Likud-lovers are intolerant of any mention of Israel that is not praise. They want to call massive terrorism from the sky as “defense!” when it is cleaŕly mostly revenge. The main defense is Netanyahu’s from his criminality.

      • Dont Say FLA

        December 4, 2023 at 1:31 pm

        The most obvious island close to Florida that one would normally boast about being tough on, that’s Cuba. And yet, Rhonda chose Bahamas to be tough on. Wonder why? I don’t.

  • Denise Collins

    December 3, 2023 at 6:26 pm

    What world are you in? Saying crazy stuff who in their right mind would even consider voting for you. You are all about you. Trump is totally authoratiarian but u r worse. You don’t tolerate anybody. It’s your way or no way. So sad. It’s all about you not our COUNTRY. So sad. U will never b president.

  • tom palmer

    December 3, 2023 at 6:32 pm

    what on earth inspires this foolishness?

    • WhatNow

      December 3, 2023 at 8:59 pm

      – Donor $$$ to spend foolishly.

    • Dr. Franklin Waters

      December 3, 2023 at 10:08 pm

      Mental Illness

  • rick whitaker

    December 3, 2023 at 6:40 pm

    denise, your comment was correct in my opinion, but it said desantis is worse than trump, well that part i’m not in agreement with. have you heard trumps comments of the last few weeks? desantis is a huge POS for sure.

    • Lori Malrowe

      December 3, 2023 at 6:54 pm

      Desantis is worse than Trump by far I live in Florida we are now living under Nazi Rules here. Trump is bad, Desantis is a Nazi ruler, Do the homework

      • rick whitaker

        December 3, 2023 at 7:44 pm

        lori, i feel for you, but as someone who doesn’t live in florida, i see a broader picture. my governor, bill lee is as bad as desantis, but since you don’t live in tennessee, you may not be aware how he is ruining tn. much in the same way desanti is ruining florida. lee is still in his 1st term, so he has lots more bad waiting on us in the future. trump is the head maga cult leader and desantis is in the same cult. tennessee use to be a good place to live, but now it’s not. i moved out of florida in the 60’s and i thought florida was bad then. i wish you would vote them gop dogs out of office at all levels. good luck, living in florida, you need it.

      • SteveHC

        December 3, 2023 at 9:05 pm

        – Trump and DeSantis are equally “bad” and dangerous to American democracy and ohr freedom. The only difference between the two is that *technically* DeSantis is “smarter” – like Joseph Goebbels was vs Hitler.

        • Tom

          December 4, 2023 at 8:28 am

          I had to laugh when I was reading an article in The Atlantic this morning about his time in Iowa.
          “This narrative followed a familiar arc: The Florida governor had confronted something he didn’t like, and, after a brief crusade, emerged victorious. DeSantis plays the part of a fearless maverick pursuing justice—even if that means picking a fight with a well-respected nonprofit. All year long on the campaign trail, self-awareness has seemed to elude him.”

      • Ocean Joe

        December 4, 2023 at 5:31 am

        As to which one is worse, let’s not forget it’s likely the GOP will take the senate, and could keep the house, along with a lock on the Supreme Court. Either one will seriously damage the country. Desantis is worse because Trump is only interested in helping himself, while Desantis is an ideological menace. Something happened to him as a child.

  • My Take

    December 3, 2023 at 6:42 pm

    It’s like he never can learn . . . or shut up.

  • My Take

    December 3, 2023 at 7:45 pm

    Come on Ronnie, even the first comments were insane, but YOU can keep it up. Go for gory. Your dumb redneck base will love it. The basal hicks and hayseeds in Iowa might too.
    “Our cluster bombs could put the fleshettes ŕight through the flimsy frame walls of the houses there. Die in bed! Whole fàmilies! And their ugly little dogs. And imagine napalm on a wood shack fishing village! Thermobarics on what passes for towns.
    They wouldn’t soon mess with us again! Not if I am president !”

  • Bahama girl

    December 3, 2023 at 7:46 pm

    This Midget with his short man syndrome needs to learn how to respect others, The Bahamas never did anything to him or this country. I will vote Trump in 100 times before I vote for short man. I regret the day I voted you in because you’re an idiot. Don’t disrespect my home land like that.

    • Ned Beatty

      December 4, 2023 at 10:14 am

      When lil Ronnie went after the gays and the trannies, you didn’t give a crap. But now that he’s going after your people, you wake up all of a sudden. I guess better late than never.

      • bahama mann

        December 8, 2023 at 10:58 am

        You idiot. this has nothing to do with a certain lifestyle. this has to do with stupid ass Ron Disaster knowing what to say. no, it wasn’t ok when he attacked the LGBTQ community, just as it was not ok for him reference an entire nation (The Bahamas) in the manner he did. he needs to learn how to respect others. it’s as simple as that.
        but then again that may be a bit of a challenge for a Trump wanna be.

  • rick whitaker

    December 3, 2023 at 7:49 pm

    bahama girl, please don’t vote for a maga cultist again, that hurts us all.

  • SteveHC

    December 3, 2023 at 9:13 pm

    The Bahamas could flatten – SERIOUSLY flatten – most Floridians, their politicians, and even DeSantis’s private “army” with its greatest weapon: RUM.

    • Silly Wabbit

      December 4, 2023 at 10:03 am

      Wum good.

  • tommy deuce

    December 4, 2023 at 6:18 am

    ronnie and donnie are vermin and should be eliminated

    • My Take

      December 4, 2023 at 9:11 am

      May each night’s nightmares end in “SNAP!!”

  • Ned Beatty

    December 4, 2023 at 7:21 am

    Little man syndrome.

  • Conch joe

    December 4, 2023 at 8:21 am

    He has a right to be afraid God forbid you pass off a Bahamian and you see him pick up a conch shell you better run like he’ll that’s the most dangerous ting they got lol he need to pick on Cuba where he’s from south Florida built by Bahamian and full of them

    • My Take

      December 4, 2023 at 9:17 am

      Some of the pepper sauces might be considered WMD.

  • Norberto

    December 4, 2023 at 9:31 am

    Ron you are a little man trying to be large why else would you be wearing shoe lifts to make you look taller
    Then that stunt with the gov of California and using his family as a pwn for your stupid mistakes oh well you will be gone next yr and all will return to normal

  • rasta

    December 4, 2023 at 9:39 am

    Oh Rona, your Christmas message is so mooving! Let’s flatten the Bahamas! Don’t forget Jamaica, with all those dope smoking rastas; or are dem Blue Mountains too high for ya? Rona, I sure hope that you are doing some good drugs because if not then you are simply batshit crazy. What the heck, hey, the bahamas are mostly flat now, why not slowly drown them with sea level rise from your dumb climate change policies?

  • Juli

    December 4, 2023 at 10:59 am

    What a fool thing to say. I’m embarrassed for him.

  • Carol

    December 4, 2023 at 12:15 pm

    Bad analogy, but Ron is bad at everything he does.

  • Norberto

    December 4, 2023 at 1:10 pm

    Your. Fool to think desantis is a good guy hell he’s racist just look at the book banning he has done then withhold unemployment checks the list goes on on what this little man has done he has a napoleon problem this is his last yr and I hope we get a democrat instead of a repukelican with their self serving attitude

  • Dont Say FLA

    December 4, 2023 at 1:27 pm

    Rhonda proves again what a Moe he is.

    Bahamas and Hamas are not related in any way anywhere except Rhonda’s imagination.

  • Jim

    December 5, 2023 at 7:05 am

    I made five trips to Great Abaco in the late 1980s and I can confirm Gov DeSantis’s viewpoint. Those Bahamians were loaded for bear! I was frightened for Ft Lauderdale.

    • bahama mann

      December 8, 2023 at 10:42 am

      Bro, quit speaking out of your ass please. you are legit spreading lies. what do you achieve from spreading falsehoods?
      Let me make it abundantly clear, the Bahamas does not NOW nor EVER had the capacity to wage war on ANY country. In fact, the Bahamas doesn’t even have an army dude. Further more, the Bahamas enjoys a great relationship with the United States. Like why do you see the need to make shit up?????!!!!!
      Fine. you are free to support anything Ron Disaster says and does, but it’s not ok to simply make shit up to support Ron Disaster’s position.
      The worst part is that there will be people like you who will read your comment and without any investigation or proof just simply believe what you’re saying. At the least they may speculate. and for no reason at all.

  • My Take

    December 5, 2023 at 12:33 pm

    Their Thatcher Missile is especially fearsome.

  • My Take

    December 5, 2023 at 5:18 pm

    Speaking of missiles and South Florida.
    Many might remember when what became the Krome Ave. immigrant detention facility in the Everglades west of Miami was originally a defensive missile base against attack from Cuba. Antimissile or antibomber, I forget. There was another in the middle of Everglades National Park in the “hole of the donut” pinelands.
    What came out in the news a half dozen years ago or so (rough remembering) is that these defensive missiles were NUCLEAR ARMED !
    They apparently would have had nuclear explosions over South Florida to defend cities and bases further north !!

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704