'He thinks he has a chance': Ron DeSantis mocked over vow to fire Jack Smith on Day 1 if elected president
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA: In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated that, if elected President of the United States, he would take immediate action to remove special counsel Jack Smith from his position on "Day One" of his administration.
Smith has previously charged former President Donald Trump with crimes related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and for allegedly hoarding classified documents that he transported from the White House to his estate, Mar-a-Lago, per a report by DailyMail.
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Despite being one of Trump's rivals in the Republican primaries, Governor DeSantis expressed support for Trump's criticisms of Smith's criminal investigations, asserting that they were politically motivated.
The implications of DeSantis's statements, if he were to win the presidency, remain to be seen but this startling development highlights the battlelines that are being drawn going forward into an election year where ongoing political tensions within the United States are bound to reach its zenith.
What did Gov Ron DeSantis say during his interview?
Governor DeSantis told former Rep Jason Chaffetz on Fox, “I think that a guy like me as the nominee will be able to keep the focus on Biden, keep the focus on the Democrats' failures but then, more importantly, after you win the election, start holding these people accountable, who have weaponized the legal system to go after their political enemies.”
Chaffetz: What should presidential candidates like yourself do about this?
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 29, 2023
DeSantis: After you win the election, start holding these people accountable… day one, firing somebody like Jack Smith… pic.twitter.com/2MnjcU7y96
“And that starts with day one, firing somebody like Jack Smith,” DeSantis added.
He continued, “That goes to dealing with people who are violating constitutional rights at the state and local government area.'”
“Republicans have turned a blind eye to abuses of power for far too long,” he concluded.
However, in a separate interview, DeSantis had expressed displeasure around the fact that the criminal charges appear to have united the majority of the Republican voter base behind Donald Trump.
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DeSantis stated to the Christian Broadcasting Network in an interview last week, “I would say if I could have one thing change, I wish Trump hadn't been indicted on any of this stuff.”
The Florida Governor noted that his direct Republican rival, Donald Trump, has had an upper hand with the GOP voters since his indictment in the Stormy Daniels hush-money investigation in April, of this year.
“I've criticized the cases. I think, you know, someone like a Bragg would not have brought that case if it was anyone other than Donald Trump,” DeSantis added.
“Someone like that's distorting justice, which is bad, but I also think it distorted the primary,” he explained.
The Florida Governor lamented the fact that the indictments, “just crowded out...so much other stuff.”
“It sucked out a lot of oxygen,” he remarked.
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According to the Real Clear Politics polling average, former President Donald Trump is currently leading the 2024 Republican race by 51.2 points nationally, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley vying for second place.
But strange as it may be, neither DeSantis nor Haley has even attempted to capitalize on one of Trump's ninety-one criminal charges levied against him to either gain political ground or risk rubbing the MAGA crowd the wrong way.
Among the remaining Republican presidential contenders, only New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has cited the four separate criminal probes to argue that Trump is unfit to serve another term in office.
It is to be noted that Trump made history in April as the first former US President to be indicted for a crime and has since faced charges in three other cases.
Internet ridicules DeSantis for saying he’d fire Jack Smith
People on X slammed the Florida Governor for talking a big game, almost a year away from the US general election, having come nowhere close to securing the GOP nomination for POTUS, yet.
Chaffetz: What should presidential candidates like yourself do about this?
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 29, 2023
DeSantis: After you win the election, start holding these people accountable… day one, firing somebody like Jack Smith… pic.twitter.com/2MnjcU7y96
One X user remarked, “He thinks he has a chance. So cute."
"America is not becoming Florida. Thanks for playing, Ron," another user wrote.
America is not becoming Florida. Thanks for playing, Ron.
— Outspoken™️ (@Out5p0ken) December 29, 2023
One user quipped, "So he's going to "hold people accountable" for holding someone else accountable..."
So he's going to "hold people accountable" for holding someone else accountable...
— Double_Anarchy (@Double_Anarchy3) December 29, 2023
"Ron you're not sniffing the oval office buddy," one user said.
"Presidents can't fire special counsels, otherwise Trump would have fired Mueller and Nixon would have fired those investigating him," another X user stated.
Presidents can't fire special counsels, otherwise Trump would have fired Mueller and Nixon would have fired those investigating him.
— HolliWinters (@HolliWinters) December 29, 2023
A user wrote, "If Florida drained its swamp there wouldn’t be any state left."
If Florida drained its swamp there wouldn’t be any state left.
— caranicas (@caranicas) December 29, 2023
One user remarked, "Ok, Ron, explain, with FACTS and LOGIC, why Jack Smith should be fired! Please enlighten the reader/listener."
Ok, Ron, explain, with FACTS and LOGIC, why Jack Smith should be fired! Please enlighten the reader/listener.
— Alan Kruss (@alan_kruss) December 29, 2023
A user tweeted, "For what,@GovRonDeSantis? Should YOU be fired,held accountable for banning books or shipping migrants anywhere?So he should specify why exactly he will hold Smith accountable when he can't bring himself to do the same to Trump?Who am I kidding, Ron will never be president anyway."
For what,@GovRonDeSantis? Should YOU be fired,held accountable for banning books or shipping migrants anywhere?So he should specify why exactly he will hold Smith accountable when he can't bring himself to do the same to Trump?Who am I kidding, Ron will never be president anyway.
— Sophie Katherine G. (@ClassicSophie) December 29, 2023
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.