DeSantis Campaign Posts Video Slamming Trump's LGBTQ Support

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Facts

  • DeSantis War Room — the 'Rapid Response' Twitter account for Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis — tweeted a video Friday of GOP frontrunner Donald Trump voicing his support for the LGBTQ community on a variety of issues.1
  • It said, 'To wrap up Pride Month, let's hear from the politician who did more than any other Republican to celebrate it,' proceeding to show the former president vowing to 'do everything in my power' to protect LGBTQ citizens at the 2016 Republican National Convention.2
  • The video, originally posted by the 'Proud Elephant' Twitter account, also showed clips of Trump saying he supports transgender Caitlyn Jenner’s use of any bathroom at Trump Tower and his openness to allowing transgender people in the Miss Universe pageant.3
  • DeSantis is campaigning on his record of social conservatism to differentiate himself from Trump and the rest of the GOP field. The governor has recently signed legislation banning schools from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation as well as prohibiting reassignment therapies for minors.4
  • However, DeSantis’ latest move has drawn criticism from rivals in both parties, with openly gay Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg saying DeSantis is 'trying to prove his manhood' and rhetorically asking who the governor is 'trying to help' with his socially conservative messaging.5
  • The Log Cabin Republicans, a group of LGBTQ members of the GOP, said the post 'ventured into homophobic territory.' DeSantis’ campaign manager Christina Pushaw responded, saying that opposing federal recognition of 'Pride Month' isn’t 'homophobic.'6

Sources: 1CBS, 2Reuters, 3CNN, 4Associated Press, 5Axios and 6NBC.

Narratives

  • Left narrative, as provided by The Daily Beast. By attempting to run to the right of Donald Trump by assailing his past support of LGBTQ rights, Ron DeSantis is showing himself to be insecure and dangerous. Moreover, the fact that DeSantis is being criticized by the GOP and MAGA base shows that his authoritarian antics in Florida won't translate to the national stage.
  • Right narrative, as provided by Daily Wire. Much of America's conservative base believes that there's no room for compromise or acceptance when it comes to transgender culture war issues. Gov. DeSantis knows the urgency of the situation and how rapidly the Left is moving to promote its abject woke agenda. He will not subject himself or America to the Left’s moral framework and continue to prove the only candidate willing to fight gender ideology — even if it means being critical of former Pres. Trump along the way.

Predictions