DeSantis and Regime Change
He has repeatedly called for regime change in Iran and he believes that the U.S. should be meddling to bring it about.
Mr. DeSantis’s anti-Iran talk is within the normal range of Republican presidential candidates from the last two decades. Yet in concert with his record on Russia (Iran’s partner in Syria, Ukraine and beyond) and with the open question of how he views the lessons of the post-9/11 wars, a President DeSantis might reprise that old G.O.P. ditty about bombing Iran.
If DeSantis runs for president and manages to win, his views on Iran policy are probably the most worrying because they have always been hardline and because hardline views on Iran are widely shared in Washington. A close ally of Tom Cotton in the White House would be a terrifying prospect for anyone that wants the U.S. to be at peace and minding its own business. Kristian is correct that DeSantis’ rhetoric is “within the normal range” of what Republican candidates usually say about Iran, but it’s important to remember that the “normal range” for Republican hawks on Iran is quite extreme.