Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said it was “insulting” for Donald Trump to compare himself to members of the US military, citing his decision to debate Hillary Clinton in 2015 after the Access Hollywood tape was released.
In his full-throated criticism of the ex-president, DeSantis again attacked Trump for refusing to take the 2020 Republican presidential primaries seriously — specifically by refusing to debate.
“It's a different Donald Trump than '15 and '16,” DeSantis told CNN host Jake Tapper during a town hall in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday evening.
“You know, it was colorful back then, but it was really America first – policy-wise,” he continued. “Now it's all about him.”
“And when he does this and says that debating Hillary Clinton after Access Hollywood was an example of courage that a general told him was more important than soldiers fighting and dying in war, that's insulting, and that's wrong.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said it was 'insulting' that Donald Trump compared himself to US troops when discussing his 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton, even after the Access Hollywood tape was revealed
DeSantis joined CNN host Jake Tapper for a town hall in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday evening, where he answered questions from the host and the live studio audience
Seemingly out of nowhere, Trump decided Saturday evening to re-record the infamous and vulgar Access Hollywood tape, which has not been in the news for years, and where the then-candidate said he could use his celebrity status to “get” women. by the p****.”
Trump is by far the front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary — even though he has so far refused to debate his competitors in the four separate showdowns since August.
Speaking live to an intimate studio audience at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, DeSantis made his case for why he should be the next U.S. president.
Part of his reasoning is that the person who gets the nomination “deserves” it, which he says Trump does not do.
“Debating is the bare minimum a political candidate should do,” DeSantis complained Tuesday night. “And I note that Donald Trump has refused to debate during this campaign.”
“He doesn't think he owes it to the public, he doesn't think he owes it to Granite Staters to show up and debate and answer questions,” he said in reference to New Hampshire, which is holding its second primary after Iowa is organizing. .
“He doesn't believe he should come and answer questions from voters,” DeSantis continued. “A lot of times he comes in, gives his speech and leaves. He is not going to visit all 99 provinces. No one is entitled to this nomination. You have to earn this nomination. And part of how you do that is you show up, answer people's questions, shake their hands and show that you care about the future of their community.”
In addition to hosting the town hall with DeSantis and rival Vivek Ramaswamy on Wednesday, CNN is also hosting two Republican presidential primaries, in both Iowa and New Hampshire, ahead of the respective primaries and elections in early battleground states.
Trump probably won't show up at any primary debate and claim it's not worth his time since he's way above the rest of the field.
The ex-president did speak at the annual gala of the New York Young Republican Club on Saturday.
Donald Trump said Saturday that a general, whom he did not name, felt he was “braver” than soldiers on the battlefield because he debated Hillary Clinton in 2015 (pictured) after the Access Hollywood “grab her by the p****' tape came to light
He bragged about his ability to win in 2016 despite the tape's release and said he was advised by almost everyone to abandon the 2016 race after the video surfaced.
He claimed that a general, whom he did not name, told him that the “locker room talk” statement was the “bravest thing I have ever seen” – even more so than seeing Americans die on the battlefield.
On the tape, Trump said, “You know, I'm automatically attracted to beauty – I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And if you're a star, they let you do that. You can do anything.'
'Grab them by the p****. You can do anything,” he is heard saying on the tape.
The recurrence of the lewd comments comes shortly after he told Fox News Sean Hannity during a town hall in Iowa last week that he will act like a “dictator” if re-elected — but only on “day one.”
