Internet slams Ron DeSantis as he accuses Trump of ‘cowardice’ for refusing to participate in GOP debates

MIAMI, FLORIDA: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis became the target of a furious backlash as he accused Donald Trump of "cowardice" for declining to take part in GOP debates after he boasted about debating Hillary Clinton in 2016.

The 45-year-old former Navy lawyer took to Twitter on Sunday, December 10 to state that the former President “denigrates military service by claiming it is ‘braver’ that he debated Hillary Clinton than what soldiers endure on the battlefield.”

“Debating isn’t ‘brave’; it’s the bare minimum any candidate should do. Hiding from debates, on the other hand, is an example of cowardice,” the post continued.

DeSantis took brutal aims at Trump in response to his remarks that he made during a speech hosted by the New York Young Republican Club on Saturday, December 10, 2023.

What did Donald Trump say about debating Hillary Clinton?

Speaking at the annual gala, the 45th US president, who has said he is too far ahead of his rivals in the polls to debate them, recalled his decision to debate Clinton just after the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape was released in 2016.

He claimed that a general had praised him for his bravery following the heated debate with the Former United States Secretary of State.

Trump claimed the general had told him: “Sir, I’ve been on the battlefield. Men have gone down on my left and my right. I stood on hills where soldiers were killed. But I believe the bravest thing I’ve ever seen was the night you went onto that stage with Hillary Clinton after what happened.”

“And then that woman asked you the first question about it. And I said, ‘Locker room talk! It’s locker room talk! What the hell?’” Trump recalled, during the Saturday’s speech.

Addressing DeSantis’ attack, Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, claimed that the Florida Governor was having “a meltdown of epic proportions by regurgitating Democrat talking points.”

“The fact is that Ron’s getting blown out in every single poll, and nothing he has done up to this point has changed his almost nonexistent standing with voters,” the spokesperson continued according to the New York Times.

This came after a new poll of Iowa Republicans showed that Trump’s lead against DeSantis has grown to more than thirty points, with voters in the state set to decide the first GOP nominating contest in roughly five weeks.

Internet reacts to DeSantis’ digs at Trump

After DeSantis’ attacks surfaced on social media, many users slammed him for accusing Trump of ‘cowardice’ for refusing to debate rivals.

“You're truly pathetic. The only people still supporting you are paid clowns who have lost almost as much credibility as you. You killed your political career. You're Mitt Romney,” one user blasted DeSantis.

“He told a story of someone saying that to him…. Ron, you would do much better if you didn’t lie like the Democrats. No wonder he calls you desanctimonious. Such a snake,” the second user slammed.

“With this, you'll go down to 6% in the polls!” the third user asserted while the fourth user wrote, “You thought you were going to dethrone Trump and you turned out to be the court jester!”

“You wouldn't know because you were a JAG who never saw combat,” the fifth user fumed. “This is just objectively wrong. I don't know if Governor DeSantis or his staff sent this out, but it's a gross mischaracterization,” one more said.