DeSantis says he opposed McCarthy when it ‘wasn’t cool,’ denounces D.C. ‘failure theater’

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis weighed in on the political battle amped up by Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz to oust U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., from his speakership.

“You know, I’ve I opposed McCarthy when it wasn’t cool years ago,” the governor said. “He’s really somebody that Donald Trump has backed and put into that position.”

Former President Donald Trump endorsed McCarthy for speaker during the embattled race in January.

“I think that they’ve not delivered results,” DeSantis said. “I think the contrast between Florida – us delivering results – and what you have in Washington is typically failure theater.”

“Now, this whole movement to do this motion – look, I think a lot of that is performative. I think a lot of that is the typical theatrics that we’re used to seeing.”

DeSantis added that he’s “not sure” how successful the move will be, but urged American leaders to understand that voters “want to see results.”

“We’re sick of the talk, and a lot of these D.C. Republicans have promised all these things over the years. And then when it comes time, they don’t deliver,” he said.

DeSantis slammed Republicans for voting for a resolution to temporarily fund the government “with no course correction at all.”

“I mean, the most recent budget bill they passed after spending nine months complaining about the open border, complaining about inflation, complaining about weaponization of federal agencies, all of that stuff – is continuing with no course correction at all.”

“Our country is buckling under high inflation and interest rates, an unprecedented border crisis, and a weaponized bureaucracy, yet DC politicians just voted to fund all of this without even the smallest reforms or course corrections,” he said on X Tuesday, quoting a video of Trump dismissing criticisms of McCarthy.

“We need to ditch failure theater and start delivering results. Republican voters are sick of the charade. Get it done!”

DeSantis recently snapped back at McCarthy for the U.S. House speaker saying the Florida governor isn’t “at the same level” as Trump.

“He’s not at the same level as President Trump by any shape or form,” McCarthy told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo. “He would not have gotten elected [governor] without President Trump’s endorsement.”

DeSantis agreed the two are different, dissing “D.C. Republicans’” spending habits.

“Donald Trump – he supported Kevin McCarthy very strongly for speaker,” DeSantis said. “Donald Trump was instrumental in him earning that speaker’s gavel.”

“They worked hand-in-glove, really, throughout his whole presidency. They were on the same team on every major spending bill that came down the pike,” the governor continued. “They ended up together adding $7.8 trillion to our national debt, never in a four year period has that much been added than what they did together.”

DeSantis, running for president in 2024, continues to distantly trail Trump nationally by a wide margin.