Ron DeSantis Doubles Down on Anti-LGBTQ Ad Shared By His Campaign, Calls Trump ‘A Pioneer in Injecting Gender Ideology Into the Mainstream’

Despite bipartisan accusations of homophobia, Ron DeSantis doubled down on the controversial anti-Donald Trump ad reposted by the Florida governor’s presidential campaign.

DeSantis joined Tomi Lahren for a wide-ranging interview on Outkick — during which the conversation turned to the DeSantis team’s recent decision to share a campaign ad published by the unofficial DeSantis War Room Twitter account. When asked about the criticism, DeSantis defended the video as “totally fair game” because of Trump’s inclusiveness toward the LGBTQ community in the past.

I think identifying Donald Trump as really being a pioneer in injecting gender ideology into the mainstream where he was having men competing against women in is beauty pageants. I think that’s totally fair game because he’s now campaigning saying the opposite, that he doesn’t think you shouldn’t have men competing in women’s things, like athletics. We have been very clear on it that we believe in protecting the rights of our girls and the rights of women athletes to be able to participate with fairness and integrity and ultimately when you talk about some of the gender ideology that’s being unleashed in this country, in the state of Florida we are fighting back against that, clearly in schools, but I think even beyond that, it’s just a fundamental issue. I think it’s attack on women’s rights more broadly to say that gender is fluid, and I think it’s an attack on the truth itself.

DeSantis rounded out his thoughts by invoking the controversy over transgender swimmer Lia Thomas being allowed to compete on the women’s swim team.

The DeSantis War Room ad was themed around attacking Trump’s past support for gay and transgender people, contrasting that against DeSantis’ policies. The video was condemned by both liberals and conservatives, and Trump has continued to attack DeSantis while touting his current lead in the 2024 GOP primary field.

Watch above via Outkick/Tomi Lahren.

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