As the GOP presidential hopefuls came face to face on Wednesday for the second Republican primary debate, Florida Governor DeSantis took an early swing at Donald Trump after facing criticism for going soft on the former US President.
“And you know who is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action,” DeSantis said, blasting the former president for skipping the debate. The criticism came shortly after a similar attack from former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who said Trump “hides behind the walls of his golf clubs” instead of answering questions.
Where is Joe Biden? He’s missing in action.You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump.
DC politicians are shutting down the American Dream with their reckless spending.
As your President, when they send me a bloated spending bill, I will take out my pen and veto it. pic.twitter.com/FzhRJZco19
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) September 28, 2023
‘Donald Duck’
At the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Christie said, “I know you’re watching” because “you can’t help yourself.” And he accused Trump of being absent because “you’re afraid of being on this stage and defending your record.” “No one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. We’re going to call you Donald Duck,” the former New Jersey governor added.
GOP frontrunner Trump announced in August he would be skipping the debates because he has no need to waste time on his distant challengers. DeSantis’ swipe at Trump marks a definite shift for the Florida governor, who largely avoided pointed criticism of the former president in the first debate.
I know @realDonaldTrump is watching.You’re not here because you’re afraid.
You keep ducking these things, we’re going to start calling you Donald Duck. pic.twitter.com/JaiMPb1BXJ
— Chris Christie (@GovChristie) September 28, 2023
Trump Mocks DeSantis
The Trump campaign released a statement ahead of the debate mocking DeSantis and predicting he would “flail around like a bobblehead on stage while trying to gaslight voters about President Trump’s record.” The former US President, who is battling multiple criminal cases ranging from mishandling state secrets to conspiring to overturn the 2020 election, met auto industry workers in the battleground state of Michigan.
But Trump’s legal troubles have done little to dent his lead, with 59 percent of Republican primary voters in a new NBC News poll making him their top choice. Seven candidates achieved the Republican National Committee’s qualifying criteria to appear at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Simi Valley, California, for the second debate.
DeSantis is facing off against political outsider Vivek Ramaswamy, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, former vice president Mike Pence, and Christie. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum rounded out the field for the clash.
The event kicked off with a question about handling the autoworkers’ strike, and while Ramaswamy voiced sympathy with the workers. “Joe Biden should not be on the picket line. He should be on the southern border, working to close our southern border, because it is unsafe, wide open and insecure,” Scott said.
(With agency inputs)