LEXINGTON, SC—Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is on the South Carolina leg of his 2024 Presidential campaign, and The Floridian's Javier Manjarres caught up to Gov. DeSantis, asking on the importance of having a President with previous military experience (especially combat service).
Gov. DeSantis repeated voters who stated they believed it was "important" for the next President to have previously served in the military with combat experience, was President George H.W. Bush in 1988.
"A lot of the voters really think it's important because I've been talking to South Carolina, New Hampshire; you know, we haven't had somebody since 1988 get elected with that experience," said DeSantis.
Additionally, Gov. DeSantis suggested familiarity with how the military is structured and its operations are beneficial for a Commander-In-Chief, especially in removing the "woke" programs and policies put in place by the Biden Administration.
"And so I think one way it'll be helpful is because I actually knew when the military worked better than it does now. And you come in as Commander in Chief on day one and you get all of this nonsense out of there. But you've got to have the fortitude to be willing to put yourself out there as opposed to someone who doesn't have that experience," DeSantis continued.
@GovRonDeSantis tells @JavManjarres that it’s important for a US President to have military/combat experience https://t.co/mG6dwiS2Rn#desantis2024 #Trump2024 pic.twitter.com/2ynvUDBK15
— The Floridian (@Floridianpress) June 2, 2023
Furthermore, with the steep decline in military recruitment due to the implementation of "wokeness," having someone who knows the ins and outs of military service would know how to bring recruitment numbers back up.
"I just think you understand how it works a little better because I think right now that recruiting is very low. And I think it's because the cultural shift in the military has repelled some people from wanting to join, so we'll be able to fix that. But you really got to know what you're doing," DeSantis concluded.
Since announcing his presidential campaign, DeSantis has referenced his past military service and combat experience in Iraq at every single campaign event in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.
Earlier in the day, DeSantis told the 1,000 people who attended his Bluffton, South Carolina event that no one else in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, including former President Donald Trump, had military experience but him.
