DeSantis Facing Scrutiny Over 'Weak' Response to Trump Indictment

AP Photo/Meg Kinnard

Many Donald Trump supporters lashed out at GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis over his “weak” response to the former president’s latest federal indictment.

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Trump was indicted by a federal grand jury over his attempts at “overturning” the 2020 presidential election.

The indictment connected Trump’s actions with the Capitol protests of Jan. 6, 2021. Trump was charged on four counts: “conspiracy to defraud the United States;  conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights.”

DeSantis issued a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, concerning Trump’s indictment, but did not mention the former president by name.

“As President, I will end the weaponization of government, replace the FBI Director, and ensure a single standard of justice for all Americans,” DeSantis tweeted.

“While I’ve seen reports, I have not read the indictment. I do, though, believe we need to enact reforms so that Americans have the right to remove cases from Washington, DC to their home districts. Washington, DC is a ‘swamp’ and it is unfair to have to stand trial before a jury that is reflective of the swamp mentality. One of the reasons our country is in decline is the politicization of the rule of law. No more excuses — I will end the weaponization of the federal government,” he added.

DeSantis’ tweet garnered over 4 million views. The GOP presidential candidate faced backlash mostly from Trump supporters, who accused him of not speaking out enough against the indictment, considering that he did not mention Trump by name or promise to pardon the former president if he is convicted.

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Related: DeSantis May Not Be Topping the Polls (Yet), But Floridians Are Enjoying a Lot of Winning

“It makes me really sad that the best, most based governor in America decided to base his entire presidential campaign on not knowing what time it is,” Sean Davis of “The Federalist” tweeted. “Robotically reciting ‘I will enact reforms’ is not how you respond when a corrupt government announces that it plans to throw its opposition in prison for the crime of opposition.”

“Not a wartime conservative,” conservative commentator Jack Posobiec tweeted.

“YOUR TOP POLITICAL OPPONENT IS BEING UNJUSTLY PERSECUTED,” Fox News contributor Caitlyn Jenner tweeted. “Agree to pardon him! This is a sham and you know it. But you hope you benefit from it. SHAME ON TEAM DESANTIS!”

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“Had a chance to read this BS from the regime trying to interfere in the election by removing your number one political opponent on sham charges (for the third time) yet?” Trump spokeswoman Liz Harrington tweeted.  “Give me a break. How do you beat the deep state if your goals are the same as theirs?”

If Trump is convicted on all charges, he can still run for president. The Constitution does not prohibit convicts from running for president.

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