In an interview on CNN, Florida governor Ron DeSantis defended his latest policy proposal, saying he’ll transform a “woke,” climate-obsessed military under President Joe Biden into one that can deter China from invading Taiwan.
The Florida governor said this is about changing the culture of a military whose recruitment is flagging. “You’ve had a problem with morale,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis’s appearance on CNN signaled a shift in media strategy; he had avoided legacy outlets since he began his campaign.
The Florida governor has not shifted his view that Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine is a less important concern than China’s growing aggressiveness. “The Asia-Pacific really needs to be to our generation what Europe was to the post–WWII generation,” said DeSantis, adding that Beijing “respects hard power.”
He added that he doesn’t want to diminish stocks that Taiwan may need.
The Florida governor said the current approach in the military is not working. “People want to join the military because they think it’s something different and I think some of the civilian leaders in the military are trying to have the military mimic corporate America, academia,” he said.
One area the governor would address is the military and national-security establishment’s focus on climate change. Asked by Tapper to respond to recent comments from the CIA associate director for military affairs that climate politics is about national security, DeSantis countered that the U.S. should just be focused on having a lethal force that’s on mission.
“How are you gonna equip your fighting force to win? Are you gonna put those considerations in or are you going to create the most lethal force available?” asked DeSantis. “China is not going to use those considerations. If they need to burn more coal to defend their country, they are going to burn more coal to defend their country they are going to burn more coal to defend their country.”
“I don’t want to be forcing the Department of Defense to be using electric vehicles,” DeSantis added.
The governor’s comments come as congressional Republicans express continued frustration that the administration is not putting pressure on a China taking a number of adverse actions against the U.S. It was revealed last week Chinese hackers spied on the State and Commerce Departments, not to mention Beijing’s coordination with Cuba and its repression of its own citizens in Xinjiang.
Chair of the House Republican conference Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.) told National Review that the administration’s continued attempts at appeasing Communist China are “pathetic,” adding that climate-envoy John Kerry’s recent trip to China is representative. “Joe Biden continues to pander to the CCP by sending John Kerry to Beijing, ignoring their aggressions, to engage in futile discussions about climate change with the world’s biggest polluter,” Stefanik said.
The Florida governor also waded into a number of cultural issues he thinks the military is improperly involved in.
DeSantis said he’ll stop “the abortion-tourism policy in the Department of Defense” in reference to a Pentagon policy that allows female service-members leave to travel out of state to get an abortion. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R., Ala.) has controversially put a hold on over 250 military nominations in the upper chamber over the policy.
The Florida governor also explained he’ll get rid of diversity and inclusion policies at the Pentagon.
“I think we have seen standards watered down in different situations,” argued DeSantis.