Ron DeSantis Suggests Trump is Going Soft on Abortion: ‘I Thought He Would Compliment’ Florida Heartbeart Bill

Florida Governor and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis suggested that former President Donald Trump has gone soft on abortion during an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network on Thursday.

Asked by David Brody, who has had a close media relationship with Trump, why Republicans should support DeSantis instead of the former president “who was very successful with evangelicals,” DeSantis brought up his policies on “gender ideology” and abortion, before pointing out that Trump had opposed his pro-life heartbeat bill:

Right to life. We were able to deliver the heartbeat bill, which was a big, big deal and, you know, while I appreciate what the former president has done in a variety of realms, he opposes that bill. He said it was, quote, “harsh” to protect an unborn child when there’s a detectable heartbeat. I think that’s humane to do. I think pro-lifers have been wanting to see, you know, good pro-life protections, whether it’s Florida or Iowa under Kim Reynolds. Very important that you’re able to get this stuff done.

DeSantis went on to argue, “I don’t think there’s been anyone that’s really been delivering on these key issues more consistently than me.”

He said, “A lot of times what Republicans, and even conservatives, will do is they’ll say, ‘Ok let’s just slow the left down a little bit.’ So it’s kind of like managed decline. No, no, no, I’ve reversed the decline in Florida. We’re on offense in Florida, and you know what? People are responding positively.”

“Do you feel the former president’s going soft then on abortion a little bit?” Brody asked.

DeSantis replied, “I think so.”

“I was really surprised because he’s a Florida resident and I thought he would compliment the fact that, you know, we were able to do the heartbeat bill, which pro-lifers have wanted for a long time,” DeSantis said:

He never complimented, never said anything about it. Then he was asked about it and he said it was, quote, ‘harsh’, but you know, these are children with detectable heartbeats and I think to do that was very humane, and I think it was something that every pro-lifer appreciates that we were able to get that done.

Last month, after Trump claimed that “many people within the pro-life movement feel that” DeSantis’ Heartbeat Bill was “too harsh,” DeSantis hit back at Trump.

“I’ve signed the bill, I was proud to do it,” said DeSantis. “He won’t answer whether he would sign it or not.”

Watch above via CBN News.