Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) continues to address the concerns of COVID-19 restrictions. In a series of social media posts, highlighting a new mission statement of “mandate freedom,” DeSantis directs political jabs at both Dr. Fauci and President Donald Trump (R) over COVID-19.
DeSantis again links Dr. Anthony Fauci to President Trump after doing so at the Republican primary debate. The Florida Governor took issue with President Trump, saying that he should have fired Fauci instead of taking orders from him.
After it was announced that President Joe Biden (D) would be masking and social distancing after First Lady Dr. Jill Biden tested positive for COVID-19, Republicans across the country sounded the alarm on another potential lock down.
In response to the president’s announcement, DeSantis has doubled down on his views to push back against vaccine mandates, vaccine passports, and mask mandates.
However, after being the subject of several advertisements scrutinizing his governorship and his candidacy for president, Governor DeSantis is now directing criticism at Trump for empowering Fauci.
“Even in January of 2021, the Trump-Fauci White House Coronavirus Task Force attacked FL for being open and demanded FL impose a mask mandate and enact other lockdown policies,” DeSantis shared on social media alongside a clip of him speaking at a press conference.
“We rejected those demands, stood up to power hungry health bureaucrats and kept our state free,” DeSantis added.
In another social media post, DeSantis warns that “many parts of the country are returning to medical authoritarianism,” but he maintains that Florida is committed to not allowing any mandates.
Both DeSantis and Trump are embroiled in a rivalry that dates back to the 2022 midterm election. Trump has been a vocal critic of DeSantis, but DeSantis has been methodical in his comments against Trump.
The press conference comments mark a rare occasion of the governor directing criticism at the Republican frontrunner.
