‘We should reject that’: Ron DeSantis slams Trump for congratulating ‘murderous dictator’ Kim Jong Un after North Korea wins a seat on WHO’s Executive Board
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis railed against Donald Trump for congratulating North Korea on his appointment to the WHO Executive Board
- Trump published an article criticizing the WHO for giving the country a board post – but ignored the content to congratulate Kim Jong Un
- “I was surprised to see that,” DeSantis told reporters in Iowa on Saturday
Ron DeSantis has become the latest 2024 candidate to slam Donald Trump for his heartfelt words to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un – escalating his rhetoric against the former president.
Trump praised Kim for appointing North Korea as a member of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization in a Truth Social post on Friday. He linked in the post to a story from American Greatness that was critical of the position bestowed on the WHO, but ignored the article’s premise of praising Kim, whom he has described as a friend.
“I was surprised to see that,” DeSantis told reporters in Iowa on Saturday when asked about the post.
The Florida governor called Kim a “homicidal dictator” for jailing an entire family, including an infant, for life – and generally railed against the World Health Organization.
“The World Health Organization is a bankrupt organization,” he lamented. “Kim Jong Un, for example, is bad, but then join in?”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis railed against Donald Trump for congratulating North Korea on his appointment to the WHO Executive Board
NEW – @RonDeSantis replies to a reporter in Iowa: “The World Health Organization is a bankrupt organization. Kim Jong Un is bad. But to join? We have to get out of there.” [WHO] and the rejection of the WHO lockdown treaty. I do not congratulate Kim on her commitment to WHO. pic.twitter.com/Tglx08UlUx
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) June 3, 2023
“We need to get out there and reject the WHO lockdown treaty and not congratulate us on our involvement with the WHO,” he added.
Trump posted on his social media page, “Congratulations to Kim Jung (sic) Un.”
However, the article he linked to criticized North Korea’s entry into the WHO due to the country’s repeated human rights abuses under the decades-long leadership of Kim and his family.
Last week it was announced that Dr. Jong Min Pak from the North Korean Ministry of Health will join the Executive Board of the WHO and will serve there until 2026.
Trump is by far the leading candidate for the Republican presidential primary in 2024, followed by DeSantis in second place — by at least 20 points in most polls.
DeSantis avoided directly criticizing the former president before he officially launched his campaign two weeks ago, but has now begun venting attacks on Trump, saying he hasn’t been effective enough in the executive branch.
On Truth Social, Trump spends much of his time railing against DeSantis, calling him “Rob DeSanctimonious” and making unsubstantiated claims against the Florida governor.
DeSantis wasn’t the only one to criticize Trump for his heartfelt words to Kim.
Trump posted his congratulations to North Korea’s authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un with an article criticizing the WHO for granting the country a board position
Trump’s former No. 2 Mike Pence and his former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who is also running for the 2024 presidential election, spoke out against the ex-president.
“This is a time when we should make it clear to the world that we stand for freedom, and we stand with those who stand for freedom,” former Vice President Pence said as he is expected to launch a presidential bid in the coming weeks will start.
“You don’t congratulate a thug,” Haley told Fox News. “I mean, let’s remember this criminal threatened America.” It has threatened our allies time and time again. You can’t play with that.’
“He’s a terrible man.” He’s terrible for his people. It is terrible for our allies in the world. And I don’t think he deserves congratulations,” added the former South Carolina governor.