Ron DeSantis expresses optimism he can reverse America's decline: 'Take that to the bank'
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reacts to the GOP primary Republican debate on 'Hannity.'
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that America might never "recover" from another four years of a Biden presidency.
During a spin room interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity post-debate on Wednesday, DeSantis spoke about his plan to use the military "to take on the drug cartels" that are "killing tens of thousands of our citizens."
"I'm going to do it," DeSantis said. "I'm not just going to get in office and say, ‘forget about it.’"
BIDEN CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIR DECLARES PRESIDENT ‘DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE’ BEFORE SINGLE VOTE CAST
Ron DeSantis at Wednesday night's first GOP debate in Milwaukee. (Fox News)
"So people should know that now's the time to get it done. I think our country, if we get another four years of this, I don't know… If we recover."
"I really don't," he added.
During the debate, DeSantis said the "rich men north of Richmond" in Washington, D.C., have put Americans in the economic "situation" they find themselves in.
DeSantis was asked about Virginia musician Oliver Anthony's hit song "Rich Men North of Richmond" during Wednesday's Republican presidential debate.
President Biden holds a meeting with his science and technology advisers at the White House on April 4, 2023. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
The GOP presidential candidate said our "country is in decline" but that the "decline is not inevitable."
"It's a choice. We need to send Joe Biden back to his basement and reverse American decline," DeSantis said. "And it starts with understanding we must reverse Bidennomics so that middle-class families have a chance to succeed again."
"We cannot succeed as a country if you are working hard and you can't afford groceries, a car or a new home while Hunter Biden can make hundreds of thousands of dollars on lousy paintings," he continued. "That is wrong."
DeSantis said America "also cannot succeed when the Congress spends trillions and trillions of dollars" and that those "rich men north of Richmond have put us in this situation."
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy participate in the first debate of the GOP primary season at Fiserv Forum on Aug. 23, 2023 in Milwaukee. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The eight candidates met Wednesday night for the first GOP presidential debate of the 2024 cycle.
DeSantis and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy took the one and two spots on the debate stage as former President Trump refused to hop into the conversation.
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Additionally, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum took the debate stage on crutches after tearing his ACL.
Meanwhile, Biden was declared the Democratic nominee by Democratic National Committee senior adviser Cedric Richmond.
Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.
