Donald Trump lobbed an attack on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' handling of the coronavirus pandemic Tuesday – despite it being a stance that's been widely applauded by conservatives.
The governor became a national political figure by defying COVID-19 restrictions and fighting vaccine mandates, and he has tried to connect Trump to Dr. Anthony Fauci, who remains deeply unpopular among conservatives. But the former president hit back by pointing out that DeSantis had shut down businesses and beaches in the earliest days of the pandemic.
"Under Ron DeSanctimonious as Governor, Florida was the third WORST State in Deaths by Covid," Trump posted on Truth Social. "So why do they say that DeSanctus did a good job? New York had fewer deaths! Also, he shut down the State, and even its beaches (unlike other Republican Governors)."
DeSantis briefly ordered beaches in Broward and Palm Beach counties to close in March 2020 and restricted bars, nightclubs and restaurants with seating for more than 10 people to serve only takeout or delivery, but he relaxed some of those restrictions by the end of April 2020 and ended lockdown altogether in September 2020.
While he was vaccinated in April 2021, DeSantis refuses to say whether he got booster shots and has signed a law banning vaccine mandates and appointed a surgeon general who opposes such mandates. He also signed a law that permanently prohibits mask mandates for schools.
