Ron DeSantis is looking to make up ground in the Republican primary. His poll numbers dropped from January, when he reached 30 % of voting intentions, to the current 18 %. As a way of pressing restart on his campaign, the Florida governor chose to play the age card against Donald Trump, his main opponent to the nomination. When asked if he would pardon him in the future, he said he does not think it is fitting that "a former president of almost 80 years of age" should serve a prison sentence.
Trump's collection of court cases grew recently after new charges were confirmed by Jack Smith: two for obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence and intentional withholding of classified information in the case of the documents that surfaced at Mar-a-Lago.
In addition, the Republican could face charges for January 6, 2021, and for his attitude after losing Georgia in the 2020 presidential election. The prosecutor in the latter case, Fani T. Willis, accuses him of violating state laws by trying to reverse Joe Biden's victory in the elections.
"Would you commit to pardoning" Trump, asks @MegynKelly.
"I don't think it would be good for the country to have an almost 80-year-old former president go to prison," says Gov. @RonDeSantis.
FULL 50-minute interview airs tomorrow at NoonET. Subscribe:https://t.co/Y12z2uKGMb pic.twitter.com/2geQDBcsN2
— The Megyn Kelly Show (@MegynKellyShow) July 28, 2023
As for DeSantis' statements, they were given on the Megyn Kelly show while analyzing U.S. judicial history. When it came to the moment when Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon upon taking office, he was asked if he would have the same attitude with Trump, should he reach the White House.
"I am going to do the right thing for the country. I don't think it's good for the country for an almost 80-year-old former president to go to prison. It doesn't sound like a good thing," the Florida governor responded.
He also emphasized that he seeks a new beginning for the United States, where decision-makers can focus on the problems of the present and the future.
In addition, he referred to the behavior of his rival on January 6, 2021. "You can identify faulty behavior. You can criticize their behavior. But you have to find a statute that was violated," he said of the possible charges Smith could present against Trump.
