Team DeSantis Tries to Clarify ‘Listless Vessels’ Comment

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) faced criticism after being accused of calling Trump supporters “listless vessels.” President Donald Trump (R) and Governor DeSantis have been embroiled in a rivalry since the culmination of the 2020 midterm elections. With the first Republican primary debate just days away, Team DeSantis is now clarifying the alleged “listless vessels” comment.

Political pundits are dubbing it DeSantis’ “basket of deplorables” moment after the 2016 incident wherein Secretary Hillary Clinton (R) called Trump supporters a “basket of deplorables.” With Trump receiving an overwhelming amount of support from Republicans, DeSantis and his team are now attempting to clear the air regarding the alleged insult.

In a message to supporters, Team DeSantis stated that “DC insiders have once again taken aim at Ron DeSantis, spreading lies because they know the truth – Ron DeSantis is the only candidate who can BEAT Trump in this critical primary race.”

Attributing the misuse of the quote to the “corporate media and the DC swamp,” the team shared what Governor DeSantis’ comments were, adding that the comments were manipulated to fit a narrative.

The following is the DeSantis quote the team shared:

“So there will be people who are huge Trump supporters, like in Congress, who have incredibly liberal left-wing records that is really just atrocious, and yet they're viewed by some of these folks as like, really, really good. Then you have other people, you know, like a Congressman Chip Roy, who has endorsed me, Congressman Thomas Massie. These guys have records of principle fighting the swamp that are second to none. And yet, they will be attacked by some of these people and called RINOs. So it's just been totally detached from any type of substance. And ultimately, a movement can't be about the personality of one individual. The movement has got to be about what are you trying to achieve on behalf of the American people? And that's got to be based in principle. Because if you're not rooted in principle, if all we are is listless vessels that are just supposed to follow whatever happens to come down the pike on Truth Social every morning, that's not going to be a durable movement.” 

In making the comments, Team DeSantis clarified that the governor “challenged all of us in the conservative movement to be focused on substance and based in principle.”

But in reading at his original statement in its entirety, DeSantis appears to clearly state that those "listless vessels" follow Trump's Truth Social.

“So there will be people who are huge Trump supporters, like in Congress, who have incredibly liberal left-wing records that is really just atrocious, and yet they're viewed by some of these folks as like, really, really good. Then you have other people, you know, like a Congressman Chip Roy, who has endorsed me, Congressman Thomas Massie. These guys have records of principle fighting the swamp that are second to none. And yet, they will be attacked by some of these people and called RINOs. So it's just been totally detached from any type of substance. And ultimately, a movement can't be about the personality of one individual. The movement has got to be about what are you trying to achieve on behalf of the American people? And that's got to be based in principle. Because if you're not rooted in principle, if all we are is listless vessels that are just supposed to follow whatever happens to come down the pike on Truth Social every morning, that's not going to be a durable movement,” said Gov. DeSantis

The Floridian Staff contributed to this story.