5 Key Points from DeSantis’ 2024 Campaign Launch Night

Florida Governor’s Campaign Launch Rocked by Tech Issues

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made a bold move by launching his presidential campaign on Twitter, but it backfired when the Twitter chatroom crashed due to the overwhelming number of listeners. However, after resolving the tech issues, the conversation on Twitter Spaces quickly turned to policy, both foreign and domestic, with billionaire Elon Musk and investor David Sacks. During the Spaces chat, a subsequent interview on Fox News, and a call with reporters from The Epoch Times and other media, the governor introduced his approach to China, how he would handle the FBI, and addressed a wide range of issues, including his approach to abortion laws and his ongoing conflict with Disney.

Launch Issues and Positive Outcome

The technical problems appeared to be caused by the number of listeners attempting to tune in to DeSantis’ announcement, with some 600,000 Twitter users flooding into the chatroom. Despite the ridicule, DeSantis’s camp latched on to the positive fact that the campaign raised more than $1 million on its first night. According to Twitter, a total of 1.4 million listeners tuned into the conversation. After the event, Sacks wrote on Twitter that it “was by far the biggest room ever held on social media.”

Handling the FBI and China

DeSantis said that if elected as president, he would remove FBI Director Christopher Wray on his first day in office. He believes that the FBI and DOJ have lost their way and have been weaponized against Americans who think like him and his supporters. DeSantis also emphasized the need to recognize China as the foremost geopolitical threat to the United States and highlighted the growing interdependence between the two economies. He proposed strengthening relationships with key allies to effectively counter Chinese expansionism in the Pacific and stressed the significance of recognizing China’s increasing presence in the Western Hemisphere and the potential threats it poses to national security.

Settling the Russia-Ukraine War

DeSantis wants to settle the Russia-Ukraine war and avoid a larger conflict that could draw in American troops. He believes that the war is a territorial dispute that should not be of U.S. national interest. However, he condemned Putin as “a war criminal” and does not want to see the U.S. with their troops get meshed in a war in Ukraine. Republicans in Congress are divided on support for funding the war in Ukraine.

Conclusion

Despite the initial tech issues, DeSantis’s campaign launch on Twitter was a success, raising more than $1 million on its first night. The governor introduced his approach to China, how he would handle the FBI, and addressed a wide range of issues, including his approach to abortion laws and his ongoing conflict with Disney. DeSantis emphasized the need to recognize China as the foremost geopolitical threat to the United States and highlighted the growing interdependence between the two economies. He also wants to settle the Russia-Ukraine war and avoid a larger conflict that could draw in American troops.