DeSantis Explains Two Actions He’d Take To Lower Inflation

 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis slammed both political parties over U.S. government spending in an interview this week, saying that both parties are responsible for inflation rates that have harmed consumers in recent years.

DeSantis made the remarks during an interview with Norah O’Donnell on “CBS Evening News” when asked about how he, as president, would bring inflation down.

“Stop spending so much money,” he said. “We need a president that’s going to be a force for spending restraint, because that’s one of the root causes with Congress spending so much. Two, open up domestic energy production. Energy costs are a huge part of inflation.”

O’Donnell tried to pin out of control spending on Republicans even though DeSantis had not mentioned either political party by this point and inflation largely took off only after President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law in early 2021.

“On that issue of spending, the issue is that, in fact, Republicans and under Donald Trump, he added $8 trillion to the debt,” she said. “And as Nikki Haley pointed out during the debate, Republicans have earmarked more in spending bills than Democrats do. Do Republicans have a spending problem?”

“Yes, of course,” DeSantis said. “This is Republicans and Democrats in D.C. that have done this. This is not just one political party. Republicans talk big when they’re out of power. But when they get in, they don’t put their money where their mouth is. And you know, you’re right. Donald Trump added almost $8 trillion to the debt in four years. He ran saying he was going to eliminate the national debt, maybe over an eight year period, but he did make that promise, and then he did the opposite.”

 

WATCH:

TRANSCRIPT:

NORAH O’DONNELL: Let’s talk about some of the issues that matter most to voters. How does a President DeSantis get inflation down?

GOV DESANTIS: Stop spending so much money. We need a president that’s going to be a force for spending restraint, because that’s one of the root causes with Congress spending so much. Two, open up domestic energy production. Energy costs are a huge part of inflation.

NORAH: On that issue of spending. The issue is that, in fact, Republicans and under Donald Trump, he added $8 trillion to the debt. And as Nikki Haley pointed out during the debate, Republicans have earmarked more in spending bills than Democrats do. Do Republicans have a spending problem?

GOV DESANTIS: Yes, of course. This is Republicans and Democrats in D.C. that have done this. This is not just one political party. Republicans talk big when they’re out of power. But when they get in, they don’t put their money where their mouth is. And you know, you’re right. Donald Trump added almost $8 trillion to the debt in four years. He ran saying he was going to eliminate the national debt, maybe over an eight year period, but he did make that promise, and then he did the opposite.

NORAH: So that’s a broken promise?

GOV DESANTIS: Well, of course it is.