DeSantis Continues to Walk a Strange Line with Supporting Donald Trump

Floundering Republican presidential candidate and Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, said that a criminally-convicted Donald Trump would be “fatal” for the GOP in the general election—but when pressed, reaffirmed that he will vote for Trump anyway under such circumstances.

It remains a remarkably incoherent position, particularly from someone who claims to represent the party of personal accountability and law and order.

DeSantis, who has been making the rounds to less conventional outlets in a vain attempt to revitalize his flagging presidential campaign, made these remarks to MSNBC host Willie Geist.

Geist began the question by reminding DeSantis of his education, his legal training, his stint in the Navy before asking whether a man convicted of attempting to steal an election or nuclear secrets “should be president.”

DeSantis didn’t answer the question directly, saying he doesn’t think such a scenario will happen because even Republican voters would find Trump’s convictions as “fatal,” but he also reaffirmed his commitment—however unsure, however awkward—to the pledge the Republican National Committee demanded he and other GOP candidates sign: “So I signed a pledge, Willie, and uh… that pledge is what it is,” and later, “but the reality is: I signed it and… that’s what I did.”

When pressed, DeSantis rationalized it as being a team player: “you can’t just take your ball and go home” by not supporting the Republican nominee.

The problem for DeSantis and others trapped in the awkward dilemma of disliking or wanting to replace Donald Trump without completely revoking their fealty to him, they indeed are not obligated to support or vote for Trump if he becomes the nominee.

The pledge is not legally binding—though none of them should have ever signed it in the first place—and their loyalty to the Constitution and the republic should trump any intraparty pact.

Like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, two lifelong conservatives and steadfast Republican politicians, DeSantis could make a principled stand to prioritize country over party.

But that would require courage. And when it comes to principle, DeSantis has proven himself time and again to be a coward.