WASHINGTON (WFLA/NewsNation) – President Joe Biden on Thursday directed his ire at Florida Gov. DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, accusing the Republican leaders of going to extra lengths to “undermine the life-saving requirements” of his COVID-19 safety response.
The president questioned why DeSantis would oppose COVID-19 vaccine mandates for students when the state already mandates other vaccines in schools.
“The worst kind of politics” Biden adding, “It’s putting the lives of citizens of their states, especially children, at-risk… I refuse to give in to it.”
President Biden and Gov. DeSantis have squabbled in the past among many COVID-19 policies including over school mask mandates and vaccine passports.
“If you aren’t going to fight COVID-19, at least get out of the way of everyone else that’s trying,” Biden previously said.
In response to Biden’s actions, DeSantis shot back by saying the federal government is empowering itself by taking away a parent’s agency over their own child.
“At the end of the day, it is not the federal government’s choice,” he said, “It is not the federal government’s right to come in and undercut parents, and it’s not the federal government’s right or responsibility to overrule Florida law, which is very clear.”
As of Sept.16, 667,750 people have died from the coronavirus, according to John Hopkins COVID-19 dashboard.