DeSantis Refuses to Say If He Got a Booster Shot After Trump Calls Silence ‘Gutless’

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Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) refused to say on Friday during a press conference whether or not he had received a Covid-19 booster shot. The booster shot has become a political football of sorts for Republicans after former President Donald Trump called politicians who don’t disclose publicly whether or not they have had the shot, “gutless.”

“That’s something that I think people should just make their own decisions on,” DeSantis said at a news conference. “I’m not gonna let that be a weapon for people to be able to use. I think it’s a private matter.”

DeSantis also dodged the question in December, weeks before Trump’s comments. “I’ve done whatever I did,” DeSantis told Fox Business Network. “The normal shot.”

Trump then told far-right One America News Network in January:

Well, I’ve taken it. I’ve had the booster. Many politicians–I watched a couple of politicians be interviewed and one of the questions was, ‘Did you get the booster?’ – because they had the vaccine – and they’re answering like–in other words, the answer is ‘yes’ but they don’t want to say it. Because they’re gutless. You gotta say it – whether you had it or not. Say it.

Trump’s comment kicked off speculation that he and DeSantis were at odds, which has since ramped up into weeks of media speculation about tensions between the two potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates.

During his presser on Friday, DeSantis cast doubt on the need for booster shots for younger Americans.

“I have said publicly that, you know, the FDA recommended against boosters for people in my age group, but the CDC overrode that, and I think that was based on politics. I don’t think that that was based on science,” said DeSantis, who is 43. “So in Florida, they’ve been available for people. People can make their own decisions on it. But it’s not been something that, you know, that we’ve been telling people in my age group, you know, to go out and do.”