ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has not seen a controversial video reportedly shown at President Trump's Miami resort during a conference for his supporters titled “American Priority”.
The doctored video depicts a man with President Donald Trump's face brutally assaulting, shooting and stabbing Trump's political opponents and the news media. The New York Times says someone at the conference recorded the video and gave it to an intermediary who then gave it to them.
In a statement emailed to 10News on Monday, a representative for the Governor’s office said, Governor DeSantis has not seen this video and he does not condone violence of any kind”.
DeSantis, who ran for office as a Trump ally and has joined the President at numerous events in Florida, was reportedly among those in attendance at the conference.
American Priority organizers, meanwhile, have denounced the video.
“It has come to our attention that an unauthorized video was shown in a side room at #AMPFest19,” American Priority organizer Alex Phillips said in a statement posted on the organization’s website.
The statement continues with:
“This video was not approved, seen, or sanctioned by the #AMPFest19 organizers. The organizers of #AMPFest19 were not even aware of the video until they were contacted by the NYT. The first time anyone officially associated with #AMPFest19 was made aware of the video was when the NYT requested comment. We find it shocking that the New York Times would not report on any of the sanctioned events in the article. Including our panel conversation LITERALLY condemning political violence while claiming to be upset over a meme that was not sanctioned, shown on stage, or approved. #AMPFest19 always has and always will condemn political violence. And proof of this was our major panel discussion on this very topic at #AMPFest19.”
Others, including the White House Correspondent’s Association, condemned the video as well.
The president of the White House association, Jonathan Karl, provided the following statement:
“The WHCA is horrified by a video reportedly shown over the weekend at a political conference organized by the President’s supporters at the Trump National Doral in Miami. All Americans should condemn this depiction of violence directed toward journalists and the President’s political opponents. We have previously told the President his rhetoric could incite violence. Now we call on him and everybody associated with this conference to denounce this video and affirm that violence has no place in our society.”
Editor's Note: As of Sunday night, the video can be seen here via Twitter. Due to its graphic nature, it could end up being taken down by the time this article is viewed. Discretion is advised.
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