Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been facing criticism from several sources lately, with accusations ranging from his behaviour towards other members of Congress to his actions during his time as a legal advisor at Guantanamo Bay.
One of the most prominent voices to speak out against DeSantis was former Michigan Congressman Dave Trott, who claimed that DeSantis had ignored him for two years while they served together on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Trott said that even after he had introduced himself to DeSantis, the governor never acknowledged his existence.[0] “I was new to Congress, and he didn’t introduce himself or even say hello,” Trott said.[1]
Another accusation against DeSantis came from Mansoor Adayfi, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee who claimed that DeSantis had been present during his force-feeding by guards during a hunger strike in 2006.[2] The United Nations designates force-feeding as torture.[3]
DeSantis denied the allegations, calling them “not credible” and accusing Adayfi of trying to get into the news. He also accused the media of spinning a pre-ordained narrative that fit their agenda.
But it’s not just former colleagues and detainees who have criticized DeSantis. Florida congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, who was endorsed by both DeSantis and former President Donald Trump, said that Trump’s operation was more personal than DeSantis’s.
Luna recalled receiving a personal note from Trump after her father’s death in January 2022, while a letter from DeSantis’s wife, Casey, arrived later. “You take the time to actually get to know the people you’re going to be working with, and that does make a difference,” Luna said.[4]
DeSantis’s behaviour towards other members of Congress has also been called into question, with Trott describing him as “arrogant” and “very focused on Ron DeSantis.”
Trott said that DeSantis never developed any relationships with other members of Congress, and that he was not a likable person. “If you’re going to go into politics, kind of a fundamental skill that you should have is likability.[5] I don’t think [he] has that,” Trott said.[5]
DeSantis has also faced criticism for his behaviour during public appearances.[5] In a video posted by attorney Ron Filipkowski, DeSantis is seen “melting down” during a public event, shouting at a reporter who asked him a question he didn’t like.
“Focus on the facts, and stop worrying about the narrative,” DeSantis declared before moving on.[6] But his behaviour towards other members of Congress and the media has raised questions about his ability to work with others and his suitability for higher office.
0. “All of Ron DeSantis’s Crimes Against Good Etiquette” New York Magazine, 27 Apr. 2023, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/ron-desantiss-etiquette.html
1. “DeSantis Finds Out Being an ‘Asshole’ Has Its Downsides When You’re Running for President” VICE, 21 Apr. 2023, https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxj5a4/ron-desantis-likability-problem-lawmaker-endorsements
2. “‘Totally B.S.’: Ron DeSantis denies claims of force feeding while serving at Guantanamo Bay” Florida Politics, 27 Apr. 2023, https://floridapolitics.com/archives/607539-totally-bs-gov-desantis-denies-gitmo-force-feeding-claims/
3. “Ron DeSantis blows up at reporter over question about Guantanamo Bay prisoner claims” The Independent, 28 Apr. 2023, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ron-desantis-guantanamo-bay-abuse-prison-b2328605.html
4. “‘I don’t think he cares about people’: DeSantis struggles with former Hill colleagues” POLITICO, 21 Apr. 2023, https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/21/i-dont-think-he-cares-about-people-desantis-struggles-with-former-hill-colleagues-00093281
5. “Another Republican Calls Out Ron DeSantis’ Likability Issues” UPROXX, 21 Apr. 2023, https://uproxx.com/viral/ron-desantis-disney-feud-a-hole-not-likable/
6. “Ron DeSantis Snaps at Reporter in Clip Viewed 1.6m Times” Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2023, https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-guantanamo-bay-snaps-reporter-viral-video-1797221
