Trump Campaign Rips DeSantis Team for Attacking Byron Donalds

Donalds
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Jordan Dixon-Hamilton

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign said it is a “disgrace” that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) office criticized Rep. Byron Donalds’ (R-FL) conservative record after he expressed minor concern with Florida’s education standards that purport to teach students about the “personal benefit” enslaved Americans received under slavery.

DeSantis’s campaign has been shrouded in controversy after Florida’s newly released education standards require students to be instructed about “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”

Florida’s Board of Education’s changes to the social studies curriculum were made possible by Florida’s Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act, which DeSantis signed into law last year.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the Parental Rights in Education bill at Classical Preparatory school, March 28, 2022 in Shady Hills, Fla. Hundreds of students at a central Florida high school were told they won’t get their yearbooks until they're censored. The principal at Lyman High School says one page is out of compliance with school board policy. It shows images of students holding rainbow flags and a “love is love” sign during a protest of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, otherwise known as the "Don't Say Gay” law. (Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the Parental Rights in Education bill at Classical Preparatory school, March 28, 2022, in Shady Hills, FL. (Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

DeSantis spawned more controversy when asked to clarify the standards after he did not take responsibility for the curriculum changes and directed reporters to the state officials who developed them.

“I didn’t do it and I wasn’t involved in it,” DeSantis said of developing the new standards. “But I think what they’re doing is, I think, that they’re probably going to show some of the folks that eventually parlayed, you know, being a blacksmith, into doing things later in life.”

“They listed everything out. And if you have any questions about it, just ask the Department of Education. You can talk about those folks. But I mean, these were scholars who put that together,” the Florida governor told CNN. “It was not anything that was done politically.”

Speaking on the updated curriculum, Donalds recognized they “did a very good job in covering all aspects of Black history in the United States,” but said the controversial section about slaves “needs some adjustments.”

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 30: Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) shakes hands with former U.S. President Donald Trump during the Moms for Liberty Joyful Warriors national summit at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown on June 30, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The self-labeled "parental rights" summit is bringing school board hopefuls from across the country where attendees will receive training and hear from Republican presidential candidates which include former U.S. President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. The summit, which is being held in an overwhelmingly Democratic Philadelphia, has drawn protestors since the event was announced due to their pushing of book bans accusing schools of ideological overreach, including teaching about race, gender, and sexuality. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) shakes hands with former U.S. President Donald Trump on June 30, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

“The talking point narrative around it, yeah, it sounds awful,” Donalds told WINK News. “Like nobody should be accepting of that, but when you read through the standards, they actually did a very good job in covering all aspects of Black history in the United States.”

“I think the best way to accomplish it, at this point, is working with the State Board of Education to bring refinement to that topic,” he continued.

However, Donalds does not think the new curriculum will leave Florida’s middle school students under the impression that slavery was beneficial.

“I have no doubt about that, because at the end of the day, if you read what is in there now it’s crystal clear to me that slavery was one of the darkest stains on our country, no doubt. There’s no way to get around that,” Donald said.

The Florida congressman hopes to speak with the state’s Department of Education about fixing that section, but DeSantis’s education commissioner, Manny Diaz Jr., affirmed to Donalds there would be no changes to the curriculum.

“The federal government won’t dictate Florida’s education standards. This new curriculum is based on truth. We will not back down from teaching our nation’s true history at the behest of a woke @WhiteHouse, nor at the behest of a supposedly conservative congressman,” Diaz tweeted in response to Donalds.

Other DeSantis officials joined in on the attacks against Donalds, including press secretary Jeremy Redfern, who accused Donalds of being a “supposed conservative.”

“Supposed conservatives in the federal government are pushing the same false narrative that originated from the @WhiteHouse. Florida isn’t going to hide the truth for political convenience,” Redfern tweeted in response to Donalds.

Redfern then compared Donalds to Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Maybe the congressman shouldn’t swing for the liberal media fences like @VP,” Redfern added.

Harris recently traveled to Florida and criticized the state’s approved social studies standards, accusing DeSantis’s administration of “pushing propaganda to our children.

“How is it that anyone could suggest that amidst these atrocities [of slavery], there was any benefit to being subjected to this level of dehumanization?” Harris asked. “I do believe this is not only about the state of Florida. There is a national agenda afoot.”

On the campaign side, DeSantis rapid response director Christina Pushaw, the governor’s former press secretary, also compared Donalds, who received a 100 percent “Liberty Score” from Conservative Review and a 96 percent conservative score from Heritage Action, to President Joe Biden’s vice president.

“Did Kamala Harris write this tweet?” Pushaw responded to Donalds.

Several pro-DeSantis Twitter influencers joined in the criticism of Donalds as well.

“Byron Donalds chose to side with Kamala Harris,” one tweeted.

“Byron Donalds is a pos! Wild what seeking Trump’s approval will make these people do,” another added.

Mike Cernovich, who was at the center of a Twitter feud with Redfern earlier this month, criticized the governor’s team for attacking Donalds.

“Rep Donalds is a popular rising star in the GOP. You don’t throw knives at people like that. You respectfully disagree or offer to discuss. I can’t believe DeSantis people trying to go to war with him,” Cernovich tweeted. “You shouldn’t start fights you can’t win. Makes you look weak.”

Donalds responded to team DeSantis and accused them of being “disingenuous” and “desperately attempting to score political points.” The Florida congressman also said DeSantis’s team’s response affirmed his decision to endorse Trump.

Donalds tweeted:

What’s crazy to me is I expressed support for the vast majority of the new African American history standards and happened to oppose one sentence that seemed to dignify the skills gained by slaves as a result of their enslavement.

Anyone who can’t accurately interpret what I said is disingenuous and is desperately attempting to score political points.

Just another reason why I’m proud to have endorsed President Donald J. Trump!

Trump adviser Jason Miller backed up Donalds in his feud with team DeSantis, praising him as a “conservative hero.”

Miller said in a statement:

Congressman Byron Donalds is a conservative hero. The Republican Party is lucky to have him as a leader, and President Trump is honored to have his endorsement.

The Congressman also calls it like he sees it, and if he thinks something is BS, he’ll tell you. That’s why we like him so much.

For the OFFICIAL office of the Governor, and (what’s left of) Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign to attempt to smear Congressman Donalds like this is a disgrace – and it’s indicative of why DeSantis has plummeted faster than any presidential candidate in history.

Miller also urged DeSantis “to look in the mirror and recognize that at his current trajectory, it’s not just 2024 that is dead for him, but 2028 as well.”

“DeSantis’ continued misguided attacks are only helping Joe Biden, and if that’s his goal, DeSantis should just get out of the race,” Miller concluded.

Jordan Dixon-Hamilton is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jdixonhamilton@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter.

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