The Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate, Ron DeSantis, challenged ex-President Trump’s consistent insistence that he secured victory in the 2020 election during a recent interview. He clarified without hesitation that Trump did not triumph and instead confirmed, “Joe Biden is the president.”
When quizzed on his thoughts by NBC News reporter Dasha Burns, DeSantis firmly asserted that the individual taking the oath of office every four years on January 20th is the legitimate president.
These comments come after last week’s indictment against Trump, which alleges his attempts to retain power post his 2020 electoral loss. A detailed indictment document outlines his purported engagement in deceit and fraudulent behavior aimed at undermining democratic principles.
DeSantis’s remarks echo his comments made at an Iowa campaign event last week, where he recognized that claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election weren’t corroborated.
Despite acknowledging the election outcome, DeSantis voiced several concerns during his interview. These included the funding from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for election-related causes, increased utilization of mail-in ballots, and the legality of third parties gathering and delivering voters’ ballots. He also referenced the ongoing controversy over Hunter Biden’s laptop.
DeSantis expressed his disappointment with the media’s coverage of the 2020 election. He criticized his party’s lack of resistance and urged Republicans to push back against perceived irregularities.
DeSantis further attributed Trump’s loss to the signing of the CARES Act, a $2 trillion COVID-19 relief measure enacted in March 2020. Part of the package, approximately $400 million, was allocated to support states with election administration, leading to an expansion of mail-in voting amidst the pandemic.
Lastly, DeSantis added, “But here’s a critical point for Republican voters to consider: Why was there an influx of mail votes? This happened because Trump allowed Fauci to drive government decisions,” referencing Dr. Anthony Fauci, a former leader of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. “They supported lockdowns and passed the CARES Act, which effectively sponsored mail-in voting throughout the nation.”
