“It’s different how they approach these things when it’s one of their guys on their team, both in terms of the mayor and the governor,” DeSantis told Fox News’s Fox and Friends. “So, I’m fine to say just don’t politicize it at all, but I think the media, it’s like the pot calling the kettle black when they’re attacking Donald Trump, when they’re the ones that are always the leads in these instances.”
The Florida governor’s comments come in the wake of his exchange with a reporter at Mar-a-Lago, where the reporter asked if Trump’s criticism of California’s leaders was “appropriate.”
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“Is it appropriate for people in your industry to try to create division and try to create narratives anytime these things happen?” DeSantis fired back. “Now, you’re not as interested in doing that because Newsom is a ‘D.’”
“If Newsom was a Republican … you would have him nailed to the wall for what they’re doing over there.”
When natural disasters happen in Florida, the left-wing media will do all it can to find things to turn into “negative narratives” regarding the Republican-led response, according to DeSantis.
“I remember when we had Hurricane Ian; category five monster storm hit Southwest Florida, all they were looking for were things to do negative, and the reality was the state was prepared,” he said. “We had an overwhelming response. We were doing things like rebuilding bridges in three days.”
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“Once it was clear that people were satisfied with the response after a few days, you couldn’t find CNN in the state of Florida if you had a search warrant.”
DeSantis is no stranger to criticizing his California counterpart.
When DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) engaged in The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate in late 2023, the Florida governor argued, “You have almost have to try to mess California up,” and that is exactly what Newsom had done.
“He’s imposed restrictions on his own people while exempting himself from those restrictions and going to the French Laundry while his people were suffering,” DeSantis said, reflecting on Newsom’s leadership during the pandemic.
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Florida has provided support to California in the past after wildfires, and DeSantis said the Sunshine State will do so now.
“Those are Americans’ homes [that] have gone ablaze,” DeSantis. “They’re from different political persuasions, but we have a responsibility as Americans to come together.”
