Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) asserted in a Thursday interview that, if elected president, he would dismiss special counsel Jack Smith, who has issued two indictments against former President Trump, on the “day one” of his hypothetical presidential term.
During a Fox News interview with Jason Chaffetz, DeSantis presented his case for being the most suitable GOP nominee in the 2024 election. While acknowledging Trump’s legal battles in the upcoming year, DeSantis emphasized his ability to stay focused on holding individuals accountable, including Smith.
“As the nominee, I believe a guy like me will be able to keep the focus on Biden, highlighting the failures of the Democrats,” DeSantis stated. “More importantly, after winning the election, we’ll start holding these individuals accountable, those who have weaponized the legal system against their political enemies.”
He added, “And that starts with day one, firing somebody like Jack Smith. That goes to dealing with people who are violating constitutional rights at the state and local government level.”
DeSantis’s remarks align with the sentiments expressed in Trump’s statements, particularly focusing on the perceived “weaponization” of the Justice Department and the accountability of those involved in Trump’s legal challenges. By pledging to dismiss Smith, DeSantis reinforces his alignment with some of Trump’s campaign promises.
Smith brought two cases against Trump, one related to his attempts to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power after losing the 2020 presidential election and the other regarding the alleged willful retention of national security information and refusal to comply with requests to return the documents to the federal government.