Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Thursday ducked questions on the latest criminal charges against Donald Trump, saying voters should decide whether the former president’s mounting legal troubles disqualify him from the 2024 race.
“At the end of the day, voters make that decision,” DeSantis told CBS News, refraining from offering his personal take on the allegations against his biggest 2024 GOP rival.
DeSantis, whose campaign has been struggling to gain traction, didn’t outright defend Trump, but said some of the charges were unfair. He said the New York charges involving a hush-money scheme to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels in an investigation led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg were politically motivated.
“Some people to ask me like, ‘Well, if somebody’s indicted, should they be able to run?’ The problem is we’ve seen political indictments,” DeSantis said. “I mean, I think Bragg was political. You have these other — these people. So, that would just give any prosecutor the ability to — to render someone ineligible. So, I’ve not said that.”
DeSantis added that if he’s elected, he’ll “clean house” and end the “weaponization” of the FBI and the Justice Department under Joe Biden.
“We will ensure that we’re involved in making sure that they’re staying within the lines,” DeSantis added.
DeSantis didn’t address Thursday’s superseding indictment against Trump in the classified documents case, which alleges the former president ordered the deletion of a computer server holding incriminating security camera footage at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Also on Thursday, Trump’s lawyers met with special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecutors ahead of a likely indictment involving Trump’s efforts to undermine the 2020 election.
Most of Trump’s 2024 Republican rivals, including DeSantis, have been reluctant to call out the president over his 2020 election lies and efforts to reverse his defeat. DeSantis has previously said he hoped Trump wouldn’t get charged in the insurrection probe.
“I don’t think it’ll be good for the country,” he said.
DeSantis’ campaign has been struggling, with the governor trailing Trump by double digits in the latest polls. Earlier this week, his campaign confirmed it cut a third of its paid staff as part of a “reset.”