Transcript: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on “Face the Nation,” Oct. 15, 2023. MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. And he joins us from Tallahassee. Good morning to you, Governor.
GOV. RON DESANTIS: Good morning. MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re running to be the next Commander in Chief.
So I need to recognize some of the crises we are seeing properly now. You had been as soon as a Navy Jag, which means that you suggested the regulation of armed battle.
With Israel approximately to release this invasion of Gaza, I marvel at what you would propose in terms of distinguishing between valid objectives and civilians.
GOV. DESANTIS: Well, one, Israel has a right to defend itself to the hilt. And that means the complete removal of Hamas, the eradication of their terrorist infrastructure.
Israel has put out warnings to civilians about which Israel goes to conduct operations and is advised civilians there to leave the region.
Hamas is telling those civilians to stay within the place. So they are using the civilians as human shields. So of course, whilst you’re in the struggle, you want to keep away from that.
But if there are civilian casualties, it really is the fault of Hamas. That’s no longer going to be the fault of Israel.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But could you recommend, as an instance, that the Israeli military avoid attacking infrastructure to offer water and electricity as they’ve accomplished?
GOV. DESANTIS: Well, Margaret, the Hamas is keeping human beings hostage nonetheless. You have Israelis being held hostage in addition to Americans being held hostage–
MARGARET BRENNAN: I recognize that–
GOV. DESANTIS: But I don’t assume they’re underneath a duty to be presenting water and these utilities at the same time as the ones hostages are being held.
Hamas must go back to those hostages before any discussions are had, and it’s a disgrace what they may be doing. And Israel has every right to apply all of the strain that it could to get the people again.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There are 2. Three million people living in Gaza, collective punishment is something you guide?
GOV. DESANTIS: It’s not a collective punishment. Hamas is the one that is developing this quandary. Hamas is the only one who constantly uses civilian objectives to conduct operations, and we treated this a few in Iraq in which Al Qaeda in Iraq could commandeer mosques. So beneath everyday instances, of path, you do not target a religious organization.
But if you have terrorist groups that are converting that right into a base of operations, then you definitely treat that as army objectives. But this is due to the fact Hamas is making those choices to convert that infrastructure into use for terrorist functions.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is there any warning you’ll deliver to the Israeli military? Would you ask, as an example, for the Prime Minister to keep off until the five to 600 Americans who are trapped in Gaza manipulate to get out?
GOV. DESANTIS: Well, appearance, I assume that it’s something in phrases of these that of the route, you would have discussions with, we would be inclined to do if I changed into president apply resources with a view to assist any American who became either being captured or in harm’s way.
I would say, I as governor of Florida have truly released flights to convey Americans domestic from the war region now.
We’re going to have- the primary flights touchdown in Florida nowadays, we are going to deliver masses of human beings again from Israel to the state of Florida, and that they’ve had trouble coping with the federal authorities. So of course, this is an important issue which you want to don’t forget.
MARGARET BRENNAN Right? But there are five to 600 Americans caught in Gaza specifically. And permit me to ask you a touch bit extra about that, because of the 2 million those who stay in Gaza, half of them are below the age of 18. Let’s concentrate on something you stated as the day passed.
VO: GOV. DESANTIS: We can not receive humans from Gaza into the US as refugees. I am now not going to do this. If you study how they behave, not they all are Hamas, however, they’re all anti-semitic.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I’m sure you recognize, that all Arabs are Semites. But how can you paint with this type of wide brush to mention 2.3 million human beings are anti-semitic?
GOV. DESANTIS: Well, initially, my function could be very clear. Those in Gaza are refugees, Palestinian Arabs must visit Arab nations.
The US ought to now not to be soaking up any of those. I think the subculture- so that they elected Hamas, permits simply be clean approximately that. Not everybody’s a member of Hamas, maximum probably aren’t. But they did elect Hamas.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In 2006. And then the military profession took place after that, where they went in and haven’t allowed elections because of 2007. So in 2006, there has been an election, no longer on the grounds that then.
GOV. DESANTIS: There become quite a few- there were lots of- there was plenty of celebrating of those assaults inside the Gaza Strip, via- by a whole lot of the ones folks that are not Hamas. But if you observe their schooling device, this has been a trouble for a long term.
They train kids to hate Jews, the textbooks no longer have Israel even on the map. They put together very young kids to commit terrorist attacks.
So I suppose it’s a toxic subculture. And I think if we had been to import massive numbers of these to the US, I suppose it’d boom anti-semitism on this US, and I suppose it would boom anti-Americanism on this u. S . A ..
And that is something after seeing those demonstrations pop up in our u. S ., simply with- with blood nonetheless flowing among Israeli residents over the weekend. You had humans taking to the streets cheering at the barbarism of Hamas in our own us of a.
That changed into a chilling issue for peers. And I don’t suppose that it really is something that we should ever suppose is suitable.
MARGARET BRENNAN: No, however, nobody’s speaking about getting Gaza and refugees here right now. They can’t even get out of Gaza for the time being.
GOV. DESANTIS: Well, human beings have stated it. I assume some of the distance left have stated, that this is something that we must do.
The US has accomplished- and executed comparable matters inside the beyond. And so I simply put my stake inside the ground. That’s where we are going to be and I suppose that everybody walking for president at the Republican side must observe suit.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Governor, we have an extra communique available on the alternative aspect of this business damage, however, I must take that right now. So if you will live with us, please. And we hope all of you’ll stay with us. We’ll be properly returned.
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MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome back to Face The Nation. We maintain our conversation now with Governor Ron DeSantis.
Governor, thanks for sticking with us through that smash. I need to choose returned up. You just heard the president’s national security consultant say that the request to Congress can be for properly beyond $2 billion in assistance.
That is for Israel, that is for Ukraine. In the past, you have said you do not want a blank test to Ukraine. Do you need a clean take a look at Israel?
GOV. DESANTIS: No, I assume that there may be surely various things. One with Israel, we have provided plenty of guidance for the reason that its inception, about $158 billion within the last 75 years. We’ve executed over one hundred twenty billion only for Ukraine in years.
So it’s an exceptional level that we’re speaking about. Also with Israel, they have got in no way requested us to displace their duty.
They take their defense very seriously, and what we do enhances and dietary supplements what they’re already doing for themselves, however, they’re now not going to invite us to fight this battle for them.
We have an extended-standing safety dating, they’re a very robust and lengthy-standing best friend, and we’ll be inclined to aid within the conventional approaches that we’ve.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There are not any U.S. Troops combating in Ukraine.
GOV. DESANTIS: No, but Margaret, what Biden’s policy is- is- is a blank check, in his own words, for as lengthy because it takes.
They have no longer articulated what the concept of victory goes to be. In truth, people have said that is going to go on for every other 5 or six years. That would require potentially loads of billions of dollars extra.
We’re now not simply sending weapons, we’re paying salaries for Ukrainian bureaucrats, funding small commercial enterprise ventures, all types of matters. So I think in case you look, cuz you mentioned Iraq, and I served there, our foreign policy, ultimate 20,30 years, has suffered at the same time as we don’t have a clean idea of victory, when we’ve conflicts like Iraq, and like Afghanistan, where we do not have a clear resolution.
So he owes a strategy to the Congress. And I assume maximum Republicans, or a whole lot of the Republicans in the Congress are going to insist on that, earlier than they authorize extra cash.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We don’t have a clean definition of fulfillment from the Israeli top minister both. I requested the countrywide security consultant and he just stated, generally safety for the Jewish state.
[CROSSTALK]
GOV. DESANTIS: Well, I absolutely suppose we do- I assume we do with all admire. I mean, I assume- I think he has stated that it is the full and entire defeat of Hamas, where they are no longer existing as a functioning entity.
I suppose that this is practicable. I suppose Israel- Israel can do that. And I suppose they have got every right and indeed, I assume they have the responsibility to do that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So what’s your view then on who should rule the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza? Do you essentially consider that they have got a right to their very own nation? Or do you want Israel to preserve a army career once they undergo this invasion?
GOV. DESANTIS: Well, Israel’s now not occupying it. They pulled out in 2005.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Right, however they are approximately to invade.
GOV. DESANTIS: Now they may be manifestly- properly, no no properly of direction- properly, we’re going to must see how that is going.
I mean, I would say this, there were beneficiant gives through Israel to provide Palestinian Arab states, of course, you cross again to 1948, that they had an opportunity to have an Arab state and the Arabs rejected it and went to battle. So they have usually
cared greater about casting off the Jewish kingdom than they have got approximately receiving their personal country and I’m no longer certain that it really is modified in phrases of their outlook.
[CROSSTALK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: Who is that they?
GOV. DESANTIS: So we will see what occurs as this- Excuse me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I’m sorry, who’s they?
GOV. DESANTIS: The Palestinian Arabs in both the West Bank and Gaza, their view has always been–
MARGARET BRENNAN: The Palestinian Authority is transferring in the direction of a two-state answer. That’s why I requested in case you had assist for a -country answer.
GOV. DESANTIS: Well, they’ve rejected that within the past. Arafat rejected it in 2000. It changed into a ludicrous deal, it in all likelihood might have put Israel in conditions wherein they could have had some extreme safety concerns, however they were willing to move ahead. And I think the history of the closing 75 years, Israel’s constantly been inclined to take tough steps for peace.
And they’ve always had rejection on the opposite aspect, and the alternative facet has typically chosen battle.
So it truly is the cycle. So I could now not push Israel to provide statehood to human beings that do not understand their right to exist as a Jewish country.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, Palestinian Authority does, but I listen you for my part do now not help that. Let me ask you about something right here at domestic when it comes to the U.S. Border. And there is speak right now approximately the want to offer more aid.
You in the pa- to the U.S. Border.
You in the beyond have said you would authorize the U.S. Military to visit the U.S. Border and shoot cartel individuals.
You advised my colleague Norah O’Donnell, quote, whilst somebody’s were given a backpack on and they may be breaking through the wall, you already know, it truly is adverse cause, and you’ve got every right to do so beneath the ones instances.
Can you give an explanation for how that would work? Would a soldier need to ask his commanding officer for permission earlier than he shoots anybody carrying a backpack or is this only a blanket shoot everybody with a backpack?
GOV. DESANTIS: Well, first, cartels are invading this united states and they may be killing tens of hundreds of our fellow residents with fentanyl, and this is happening in groups all across our united states.
We have every proper and responsibility to combat again against that. It’s ordinary how you would have with regulation enforcement or army, you outline guidelines of engagement.
They have definitely become aware of anyone this is adverse, either movement or rationale. And they engaged, however we’re going to interact. The days of our groups being ravaged with the aid of fentanyl are going to be over.
Yes, we’re going to forestall the invasion. Yes, we are going to construct the wall. We’re going to do all those matters we will deport humans whilst they come illegally, however you have to hold the cartels accountable. And I’ll try this as commander in chief.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I assume a variety of Americans would guide that, given how horrible fentanyl is.
But in terms of this unique inspiration here, how could you differentiate who’s a hazard? How would you assert shoot humans carrying backpacks?
GOV. DESANTIS: Well, Margaret, when you’re down at the border, I imply, you notice, like, the cartels will honestly have lookouts where they may simply convey people across.
They could have sure– they may be wearing–
MARGARET BRENNAN: But how do you already know what’s in the backpack?
GOV. DESANTIS: specific varieties of- properly you need to make the ones judgments primarily based on intelligence and all of the other things which you do, however I can inform you this, once you show the willingness to definitely take this hazard significantly, you will change their conduct.
They’re consuming our lunch at the border right now due to the fact we do not do anything to fight again. That’s going to exchange on January 20, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Governor, thank you for coming at the software nowadays. We desire you will come returned, and we’re going to be right back.