Ron DeSantis on Nixing Deep State: ‘We Are Going to Start Slitting Throats on Day One’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to guests at the Nebraska Steak Fry in Nebraska City, Neb
Matt Johnson/Right Cheer/Flickr
Hannah Knudsen

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis used a surprising choice of words over the weekend when describing his plans to tackle the Deep State, promising to “start slitting throats” on day one.

DeSantis campaigned in New Hampshire over the weekend, attending campaign events hosted by former Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA).

“We’re going to have all of these Deep State people, you know. We are going to start slitting throats on day one,” DeSantis said during the barbecue event. DeSantis also promised that his administration will ensure the woke agenda “ends up in the dustbin of history.”

New Hampshire Public Radio quoted one New Hampshire Republican voter who was not thrilled by the governor’s choice of words.

“If I was in charge of his PR, I would have said, ‘Don’t use that terminology,’” he remarked. Others on social media expressed similar sentiments.

“He is so bad at this,” one user remarked.

“I guess he’s going for the Charles Manson fan base vote…..” another said.

“Great, another one that hires ‘the best’ people to advise him,” one observed, as others joked that there will not be a “day one” of his presidency anyway:

DeSantis used the same terminology during an interview with Real America’s Voice last month, explaining that he would like his defense secretary to be someone who is ready to “slit some throats.”

“I think the idea that you take a flag (officer) or general officer who recently retired and put them as the Secretary of Defense, I think it is a mistake,” DeSantis said during the interview.

“You know, they may have to slit some throats, and it’s a lot harder to do that if these are people that you’ve trained with in the past or that, you know. So we’re going to have somebody out there, you know, be very firm, very strong, but they are going to make sure that we have the best people in the best positions. and there’s not going to be necessarily prior relationships that would cloud that judgment,” he added.

The most recent remarks made in New Hampshire come as the DeSantis campaign focuses primarily on the Granite State, as well as Iowa and South Carolina, rather than Super Tuesday states. It also follows his campaign’s lay-offs of dozens of staffers as part of an overarching effort to revamp his campaign.

“While Super Tuesday is critically important, we will not dedicate resources to Super Tuesday that slow our momentum in New Hampshire. We expect to revisit this investment in the Fall,” a leaked memo to reassure donors reads.

Despite that, DeSantis has failed to gain momentum, either nationally or in New Hampshire. This week’s Morning Consult survey showed DeSantis sinking to another low, 43 points behind former President Donald Trump, with 15 percent support.

Further, an American Greatness/National Research Inc. survey released last week, examining the primary race in New Hampshire, also showed DeSantis behind, falling from 15 to 11 percent– a full 30 points behind Trump:

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.