Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis defended a viral campaign ad criticizing former President Donald Trump’s support of Pride Month in an interview Wednesday.
Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke with Outkick host Tomi Lahren on the backlash he faced over the ad. He told Lahren Trump was at the forefront in promoting gender ideology, and that it was “fair game” to showcase it. (RELATED TO: Trump Will Paint DeSantis As An Establishment War Hawk, Insiders Say)
“I think identifying Donald Trump as really being a pioneer in injecting gender ideology into the mainstream, where he was having men compete against women in his beauty pageants, I think that’s totally fair game,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis told Lahren Trump has changed his position on gender ideology issues for political purposes.
“He’s now campaigning, saying the opposite, that he doesn’t think that you should have men competing in women’s things like athletics,” DeSantis said.
The Florida governor contrasted himself with Trump, claiming he would fight harder to protect women from having their rights to fair competition violated.
“We believe in protecting the rights of our girls and the rights of women athletes to be able to participate with fairness and with integrity,” DeSantis added.
DeSantis added he believed the concept of gender fluidity is part of a broader attack on women’s rights and “truth itself.” He used former University of Pennsylvania transgender swimmer Lia Thomas as an example, saying Thomas’ victories were a “lie.”
“We know not only does that violate the opportunities for the other women’s swimmers, but also know that that’s a lie, its not true, and I think there’s value in making sure our society is rooted in truth and not in social fads.
The video was called “homophobic” by former Trump Administration official Rick Grenell and slammed by conservative LGBT group “Georgia Log Cabin.”