DeSantis Press Secretary Bryan Griffin shredded Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday after she chided the governor for his comments on Ukraine. DeSantis has criticized the Biden administration for issuing a “virtual blank check” to Ukraine and referred to the war as a “territorial dispute” on Monday.
On Wednesday, Harris made an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and was asked about DeSantis’ comments,
“What do you make of someone like Governor DeSantis who… is saying that this is not in America’s ‘strategic interest’ to side with the Ukrainians and offer them the material aid they need to defend themselves against invading power?” Colbert asked.
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“So, as Vice President, I have now met with over a hundred world leaders, presidents, prime ministers, chancellors, and kings,” Harris responded, touting her experience.
“When you have had the experience of meeting and understanding the significance again, of international rules and norms, and the importance of the United States of America standing firm and clear about the significance of sovereignty and territorial integrity… If you really understand the issues, you probably would not make statements like that.”
Colbert nodded in agreement while his audience vigorously applauded. However, Ron DeSantis’ press secretary Bryan Griffin disagreed and fired back on Twitter.
“Hollow words from the [Vice President] considering our own southern border,” Griffin wrote.
“From Florida, [Gov. Ron DeSantis] has done more to highlight and defend the ‘sovereignty and territorial integrity’ of the United States than the Biden Admin and his ‘border czar’ [Kamala Harris] have done.”
Hollow words from the @VP considering our own southern border.
From Florida, @GovRonDeSantis has done more to highlight and defend the 'sovereignty and territorial integrity' of the United States than the Biden Admin and his "border czar" @KamalaHarris have done. https://t.co/Hl2cElCKj6
— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) March 16, 2023
In March 2021, Harris was placed in charge of handling the “root causes” of America’s border crisis, which the White House has said includes poverty, violence, and climate change. Since being tapped as the “border czar,” Harris has visited the Southern border only once, after immense pressure from the Republican party. In January, she visited Arizona to promote a new green energy plan in the state but avoided traveling to the border.
While Harris expressed deep concern for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, nearly 156,000 illegal migrant encounters were reported along the U.S. border in January. The White House has fought hard to include a new “parole” program in their immigration measures for Venezuelan, Nicaraguan, Haitian, and Cuban migrants. Harris and the Biden administration have also argued for a path to citizenship for the millions of illegals in the United States.
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In his statement on Monday, DeSantis denounced the Biden administration for prioritizing Ukraine’s border over the U.S. border.
“While the U.S. has many vital national interests – securing our borders, addressing the crisis of readiness within our military, achieving energy security and independence, and checking the economic, cultural, and military power of the Chinese Communist Party – becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them.”
DeSantis has faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans for his comments, but as U.S. aid to Ukraine nears $200 billion, polling shows public support for intervention plummeting. Since May 2022, public opinion has dropped from 60 percent to 48 percent, according to the Associated Press.
“Our citizens are also entitled to know how the billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars are being utilized in Ukraine,” DeSantis said.
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