Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is also a GOP presidential candidate, indicated a willingness to use missile strikes in Mexico to combat drug cartels if he becomes president.
What Happened: In an interview on CBS Evening News, DeSantis said, “We would use all available — the tactics, I think, can be debated.”
“If you have something you want to accomplish, people would brief you on the different ways you'd be able to do it,” he said while not ruling out the use of missiles against Mexican drug cartels.
"There's not going to be authorization to just shoot somebody like that," he said.
"But when somebody's got a backpack on and they're breaking through the wall, you know that's hostile intent and you have every right to take action under those circumstances."
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DeSantis has a known history of advocating for the use of military force at the border and has previously announced his readiness to authorize troops to use “deadly force” against cartel members. This is the first time he has openly discussed the potential use of missiles.
When questioned about the difference in policy compared to simply deploying the military at the southern border, DeSantis argued that the drug cartels are “overrunning our border” and lethal action is needed to curb them. He clarified that the targets wouldn’t be ordinary migrants but those who pose a threat.
Why It Matters: This is not the first time DeSantis has expressed an aggressive stance towards Mexican drug cartels. In August, he suggested using drone strikes against the cartels during an Iowa campaign event.
Earlier this year, he also signed legislation that removed fentanyl test strips from Florida's list of prohibited drug paraphernalia and pledged ‘deadly force’ against drug smugglers.
Photo by Hunter Crenian on Shutterstock
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