Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis offered criticism of former President Donald Trump’s remarks on immigration that have been likened to the rhetoric of Adolf Hitler by saying his GOP rival’s words didn’t help “move the ball forward” on border issues.
DeSantis, during a sit-down with the Christian Broadcasting Network, was asked for his reaction to Trump’s recent comments that immigrants entering the United States are “poisoning the blood of our country.” He responded by saying the remarks were not helpful in terms of attacking President Joe Biden’s border policies.
“When you start talking about using those types of terms, I don’t think that that helps us move the ball forward. I would not put it in those terms,” DeSantis said in a clip from the interview which is scheduled to air in full on Thursday.
Several Senate Republicans, as well as 2024 GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie, have used much harsher language in chastising Trump over his remarks. President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign also rebuked Trump over the weekend, accusing him of echoing Hitler.
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Trump has since doubled down on his comments, telling supporters in Iowa on Tuesday that people crossing the border illegally into the United States are “destroying the blood of our country.” He also dismissed the comparison to Hitler, saying that he “never read Mein Kampf” and that Hitler used the “blood poisoning” line “in a much different way.”
When reached for comment about DeSantis’ response in the CBN interview, a spokesperson pointed to a Fox News interview in which the governor suggested that he was unclear of Trump’s intent with the remark.
“I don’t know what this means with the blood stuff. I know people are trying to draw historical allusions. I don’t know if that’s what he meant,” DeSantis said on Monday.
