Ron DeSantis on Monday expressed strong misgivings over US support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion, breaking not only with the Biden administration but other prominent Republicans.
(Bloomberg) — Ron DeSantis on Monday expressed strong misgivings over US support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion, breaking not only with the Biden administration but other prominent Republicans.
DeSantis, the governor of Florida, said in a statement, which was read by Tucker Carlson on his Fox News program, that protecting the US southern border, confronting China and bolstering the American military should take priority.
“The Biden administration’s virtual ‘blank check’ funding of this conflict for ‘as long as it takes,’ without any defined objectives or accountability, distracts from our country’s most pressing challenges,” DeSantis added in the statement, which was confirmed by his spokeswoman.
While the “blank check” reference echoed a criticism made by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, DeSantis did not say that assistance ought to be cut off entirely.
“Without question, peace should be the objective,” he said. “The US should not provide assistance that could require the deployment of American troops or enable Ukraine to engage in offensive operations beyond its borders.”
President Joe Biden has repeatedly asserted that US or NATO troops would not be directly involved in the conflict.
But Biden did warn allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intention to invade Ukraine, then mobilized them to provide the government of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy the military and financial support it required to defend itself. The US president has also sought to isolate Russia economically and diplomatically.
DeSantis’s statement was reported earlier by the New York Times.
The statement was in response to a policy questionnaire that Carlson sent to candidates and potential candidates. DeSantis is widely expected to run for the Republican presidential nomination but has yet to declare,
The governor’s stance puts him in the ranks of other Republicans, most notably former President Donald Trump, who have questioned or outright opposed American assistance to Ukraine. Other members of the party, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have been consistently supportive of the aid.
Trump, asked about the DeSantis statement on a flight back to Florida after campaigning in Iowa, said “Whatever I want he wants now.”
A National Security Council spokesperson said that the outcome of the war in Ukraine had ramifications far beyond the fate of one country. The US, its allies and the Ukrainians themselves were confronting an existential threat to the rule of law and freedom, the spokesperson added.
And Ammar Moussa, the press secretary of the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement that “of course 2024 MAGA Republicans Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis would use Tucker Carlson’s platform to announce they’d rather side with Vladimir Putin than Ukraine and democracy.”
DeSantis visited Iowa late last week. Trump, who has declared his candidacy, campaigned there on Monday.
“We cannot prioritize intervention in an escalating foreign war over the defense of our own homeland, especially as tens of thousands of Americans are dying every year from narcotics smuggled across our open border and our weapons arsenals critical for our own security are rapidly being depleted,” DeSantis said in the statement.
Trump, in his response to Carlson said “both sides are weary and ready to make a deal.”
–With assistance from Akayla Gardner and Mario Parker.
(Updates with Trump, White House responses, beginning in 11th paragraph.)
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.