Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was also pressed on foreign policy, with a focus on one of Washington’s hottest hot potatoes: funding for Ukraine in its war with Russia.
It began with a query from Ames, Iowa, attorney Eric Eide about whether the United States should continue to sink resources into that conflict.
As is often the case, Mr. DeSantis leaned into talk of China and criticized some of Ukraine’s actions before concluding that “we need to bring this to a conclusion,” and again calling for European countries to pay more.
“Does that mean end U.S. support for Ukraine?” CNN host Caitlin Collins asked.
Mr. DeSantis criticized President Bidens’ handling of Afghanistan and what some see as U.S. over-extension since the Cold War.
Ms. Collins asked him to clarify if he meant the U.S. should stop sending weapons and money.
“I think Europe should supply the weapons,” he said, before pivoting to China and then the border.
“We do not have adequate hard power to be able to deter China from going after Taiwan,” he said.
