Ron DeSantis angered as Fox News host recalls Trump's insults
The rest of his spiel appeared to completely ignore the crux of Kilmeade's question, sounding more like the contents of a brochure for the Sunshine State than a measured response. Kilmeade, however, stayed quiet. 'No state is working more constructively on environmental restoration,' DeSantis said.
'I just did a huge announcement this week on working with the Everglades,' he continued. 'And we've also returned almost a billion dollars to them as part of their DOGE effort. So, I think it's been really, really good, and the state of Florida - we're the envy of the nation. People want to come here, people want their states to follow our lead, and we'll continue to lead with purpose and conviction,' he concluded.
The argument appeared to convince - or at least scare - Kilmeade, who quickly persisted with the rest of the interview. Not mentioned during the duration were the assortment of crass nicknames DeSantis was christened with by his then rival as the Republicans relentlessly duked it out.
'Ron DeSanctimonious,' 'Ron Dishonest,' and 'Shutdown Ron' are among some of the few, with Trump even taking the time to specify his preferred nomenclature for DeSatntis in a Truth Social post penned in February 2023, after re ports claimed he used a specific one to badmouth DeSantis privately. 'I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious "Meatball" Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will,' he wrote at the time, amid calls of racism since DeSantis, 46, is Italian. 'It would be totally inappropriate to use the word "meatball" as a moniker for Ron!' Trump assured.
Despite never sharing a debate stage, the two continued to take shots at each other until the GOP primary, after which DeSantis forfeited his White House bid following a poor showing in the all-important Iowa caucus. At the time, there was also talk of the Florida Republican facing off with his California counterpart Gavin Newsom - an idea that, like DeSantis receiving the Republican nomination, never came to fruition.
Other victims to Trump's name-calling - as Kilmeade, 61, indicated - are now allied with Trump our are part of his administration. Now in the midst of his second term as Florida's governor, DeSantis is not eligible for reelection as an incumbent in November of next year. Candidates - aside from Independent Jason Pizzo - have yet to be chosen.
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The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Starmer must take a strong line with Trump to relieve the suffering in Gaza
The phrase 'walking a diplomatic tightrope' is overused by the media, but it is an accurate description of Sir Keir Starmer's task when he meets Donald Trump on Monday for talks at the US president's Turnberry golf course in Scotland. According to Downing Street sources, the prime minister will discuss what more can be done to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, to 'bring an end to the unspeakable suffering and starvation in Gaza', and to hasten the release of the remaining Israeli hostages. Sir Keir is under growing pressure from Labour backbenchers, and several members of his cabinet, to go further by joining France's Emmanuel Macron in formally recognising Palestinian statehood. But if the prime minister did so, it would weaken his hand with Mr Trump, the only foreign leader with meaningful influence over Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. So Gaza poses a big test for Sir Keir's quietly effective strategy of not challenging or criticising the US president in public. We have to take it on trust that he will argue strongly behind closed doors for the US to restart the peace talks it led in Qatar before it pulled out, blaming Hamas for the lack of progress. Indeed, President Trump should revive plans for a 60-day ceasefire, the release of some hostages, and – crucially – an increase in aid supplies, which are desperately needed to prevent more deaths from starvation. Such an approach by Sir Keir will not be enough for the 221 MPs, including a third of Labour backbenchers, who have signed a letter calling for the immediate recognition of Palestine. Or, indeed, for much of the British public. It is not surprising, given the harrowing pictures of emaciated children in TV news bulletins, that opinion in the UK is turning against Israel, which rightly enjoyed the goodwill of many after the horrific 7 October attacks. According to More in Common, 29 per cent of people now sympathise more with the Palestinians – up by 11 percentage points since November 2023 – while 27 per cent sympathise with neither side, 16 per cent with both sides equally, and 15 per cent with Israel. Some 48 per cent believe Israel's response to the conflict has been disproportionate, and only 28 per cent think it proportionate. Amid mounting outrage, Israel has announced a limited 'tactical pause' in its military operation in three areas of Gaza to allow in more humanitarian relief. The easing of restrictions is welcome, if long overdue, but it must be more than a cynical temporary move. It is no substitute for a ceasefire leading to negotiations on a long-term peace settlement. Nor will the airdrops planned by the UK and Jordan be more than a sticking plaster; they are ineffective compared with relief delivered by lorries, and sometimes even dangerous. Sir Keir's reluctance to recognise Palestine may prove to have been a holding line. If countries such as Germany, Canada and Australia change their minds and back France, he may shift. The SNP plans to force a vote on the issue when the Commons returns from its summer recess in September, which would expose Labour divisions. That month, the Labour conference will be problematic for its leader if he doesn't change tack, while the UN general assembly will discuss France's move. Yet for now, The Independent believes the prime minister is right to maximise his influence with President Trump, and to keep the recognition of Palestine as a card to play in talks on a permanent peace that must include a two-state solution to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Recognising Palestine now would not in itself change the terrible conditions on the ground in Gaza, as Bob Geldof, the Live Aid organiser, told Sky News on Sunday. He said it should have been done 'ages ago', but that the demands of Labour MPs amount to a distraction that 'is not going to make any material difference'. Sir Keir's quiet diplomacy is a better response to the crisis in Gaza than the tone-deafness of Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader. Interviewed on Sky, she backed calls for a ceasefire but said: 'What I see when I see Israel is a country that's trying to defend itself.' She declared that the pictures of starving children had not affected her support for Israel, insisting that it is allowing in relief supplies – a view that is hotly disputed by the United Nations and aid agencies. So far, Sir Keir has confounded critics who warned that he would not be able to have it both ways and maintain good relations with the US and the EU. He has secured trade deals with both. The emergency in Gaza now poses a big test for the prime minister's strong record on foreign affairs in the past year, which regrettably has not been matched on the domestic front. Sir Keir's understandable desire to hug Mr Trump close should not lead him to pull his punches over the gruesome tragedy unfolding in Gaza.
Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Jay Leno blasts late-night comedy hosts over divisive content as Colbert gets the boot from CBS
Jay Leno is taking aim at modern late-night comedy shows, claiming the hosts are isolating half their viewers in an interview released just days after Stephen Colbert got the boot from CBS. The former Tonight Show host, 75, reflected on the shift in late-night culture during a sit-down interview with Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation president David Trulio. The candid conversation was taped two weeks ago but was recently shared and quickly circulated online. They spoke openly about comedy, politics and what's changed in the late-night world. Trulio began by mentioning to Leno that his jokes had a reputation of being equally balanced in his time on air. 'I read that there was an analysis done of your work on 'The Tonight Show' for the 22 years and that your jokes were roughly equally balanced between going after Republicans and taking aim at Democrats. Did you have a strategy?' Trulio asked. 'I got hate letters saying, 'You and your Republican friends,' and another saying, 'I hope you and your Democratic buddies are happy' - over the same joke,' Leno said. 'That's how you get a whole audience. Now you have to be content with half the audience, because you have to give your opinion.' 'Rodney Dangerfield and I were friends,' Continued Leno. 'I knew Rodney 40 years and I have no idea if he was a Democrat or Republican. We never discussed politics, we just discussed jokes.' 'I like to think that people come to a comedy show to get away from the pressures of life. I love political humor - don't get me wrong. But people wind up cozying too much to one side or the other.' 'Funny is funny,' Leno said. 'It's funny when someone who's not….when you make fun of their side and they laugh at it, you know, that's kind of what I do.' 'I just find getting out - I don't think anybody wants to hear a lecture,' he continued. 'When I was with Rodney, it was always in the economy of words - get to the joke as quickly as possible.' He criticized comedians who inject their political opinions into every monologue and said he preferred making the whole audience laugh rather than pushing an agenda. 'I don't think anybody wants to hear a lecture … Why shoot for just half an audience? Why not try to get the whole? I like to bring people into the big picture,' he said. 'I don't understand why you would alienate one particular group, you know, or just don't do it at all. I'm not saying you have to throw your support or whatever, but just do what's funny.' His comments come in the wake of Colbert's dramatic departure from The Late Show. A media frenzy engulfed The Late Show after Colbert publicly slammed the CBS show's parent corporation, Paramount Global, for settling a defamation lawsuit with Trump for $16 million, calling it a 'big, fat, bribe,' in his opening monologue. Just days after the searing call-out, Colbert told his studio audience that the network was ending The Late Show in May 2026. Speculation has loomed over why the show was canceled, with A-listers and fellow talk-show hosts coming to the comedian's defense. Colbert won an Emmy for his work on The Colbert Report, a satirical show that ran on Comedy Central from 2005 to 2014. After he replaced David Letterman on The Late Show, the program was nominated for the most Outstanding Talk Series at the Emmys from 2017 to 2022. Meanwhile, other late-night legends have rallied behind Colbert in the wake of his show's cancellation. Jimmy Fallon said: 'I don't like it. I don't like what's going on one bit. These are crazy times,' Fallon said, referencing how 'everybody [was] talking about' the decision. 'And many people are now threatening to boycott the network', he said, setting up another punchline. 'Yeah - CBS could lose millions of viewers, plus tens of hundreds watching on Paramount+.' David Letterman also backed his successor and suggested CBS canceled The Late Show because he was 'always shooting his mouth off' about Donald Trump. The 78-year-old late-night legend created The Late Show in 1993 after NBC denied him the chance to succeed Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show. In his first comment on the show's cancellation, Letterman noted that his show was more about political satire than his version of The Late Show but was still complimentary, calling the decision by CBS 'pure cowardice.' 'I think one day, if not today, the people at CBS who have manipulated and handled this, they're going to be embarrassed, because this is gutless,' he told former Late Show producers Barbara Gaines and Mary Barclay.
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Man becomes first Donald Trump protester arrested over ‘offensive sign' during President's visit to Scotland
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) POLICE arrested a man for alleged abusive behaviour moments after Donald Trump arrived in Scotland on Friday. The US President, 79, touched down at Prestwick Airport aboard Air Force One at around 8.30pm for his five-day private visit. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 A man became the first Donald Trump protester to be arrested over an 'offensive sign' Credit: Getty 4 He was nicked by cops moments after the US President arrived in Scotland Credit: EPA 4 It happened while hundreds flocked to the Mound to watch Air Force One land at Prestwick Airport Credit: AP Mr Trump eventually surfaced at 8.40pm at the door of the aircraft, waving to the crowds, and was then welcomed by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray. The Republican chief was then whisked to his luxury Turnberry resort 20 miles down the Ayrshire coast, where he has been spotted playing golf over the weekend. But moments after Mr Trump's specially customised Boeing 747-200B jets landed, police arrested a man for alleged abusive behaviour. The man, aged 20, was next to the military airport in Ayrshire where Air Force One landed, holding a large sign. Witnesses have claimed that the writing on the placard had an offensive slur on it that was directed at Mr Trump. It is understood that the alleged incident unfolded in the Mound viewing point, which is close to Prestwick Airport. This is where a large crowd of people gathered to catch the iconic aircraft landing. A large number of officers were in the area at the time. One local said they heard a shout moments after the aircraft landed on the tarmac and saw police put the man in handcuffs. They added: "It all happened really quickly". Donald Trump tees off at luxury Turnberry course during Scots visit Officers confirmed that the man was arrested "for abusive behaviour and refusing to stop". They also issued him with a recorded police warning. Hundreds of Scots gathered to watch as the president of the free world arrived on Friday. Mr Trump spoke to members of the media after disembarking the plane, and hailed 007 legend Sir Sean Connery for helping him build his golf courses. He wasted no time in name-dropping the acting legend as he stepped off the flight from the States. Mr Trump said Connery, from Edinburgh, helped him get the permits for the two courses at the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire that he will visit this week. The new course will be named after his mother, Mary MacLeod, who was born and raised on the Isle of Lewis. He said: 'There's no place like Turnberry. It's the best course in the world. 'My son is going to cut a ribbon for the second course in Aberdeen. 'We love you, Trump' DONALD Trump was seen blowing kisses to to supporters this morning as he teed off for a second round of golf at his luxury Turnberry resort. Three hardy Trump fans from Liverpool gathered on the dunes near the course today and shouted 'We Love you Trump' as he left the third green. Kay English, 38, said she and hubby Tom had travelled from England to show the President that he was loved by people in the UK. The pair wore 'Make England Great Again' caps modelled on the MAGA design and waved a Stars and Stripes. They held up a crude banner mocking Sir Keir Starmer which Mr Trump tried to read from the course. Kay said: "I shouted 'We love you, Trump' because I want him to realise those protests against him are the minority. "I was so happy that he blew me a kiss. I like him because he stands for the people, unlike our politicians." Mr Trump began his round around 10.45am with an entourage of 27 golf buggies following on behind him. The President was also joined by his son Eric again this morning on the Ailsa course. His other son Donald Trump Jr was also spotted on the course. The President always played first but appeared to be struggling with the brisk wind. He had to play out of a bunker on the fourth but was able to pitch from the sand in one shot. 'Sean Connery helped get me the permits, if it wasn't for Sean Connery we wouldn't have those great courses.' Despite the arrest, many Trump fans descended on the spot close to the runway from Friday morning to wait for his arrival. One supporter waved a Make America Great Again flag, while another man wore a cap with the tongue-in-cheek message Scotland Is Already Great emblazoned on it. Some youngsters were also seen sporting Mr Trump's signature red MAGA hat. The airport area was under heavy security, with scores of cops keeping a close eye on the crowds. Police snipers also stood watch on Prestwick's air traffic control tower and a scaffold platform close to where the Commander in Chief disembarked the iconic modified Boeing 747. Mr Trump's visit is expected to last until Tuesday, July 29. The President is also scheduled to meet Scottish First Minister John Swinney and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during his trip. A massive £5million security operation has been rolled out to ensure his safety, with around 6,000 police officers drafted in from across the UK to support the efforts. We previously told how police and security services assessed fears that Mr Trump could be assassinated during his visit to Scotland after he survived an attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania last year. David Threadgold, General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said "a huge amount of threat assessment and intelligence gathering' took place ahead of the visit.
