In a recent interview with Piers Morgan, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke out strongly against China, claiming that the communist country is the largest threat the United States confronts and that he would not put up with an invasion of Taiwan.
The comments come as American officials have stepped up their warnings that China is planning to attack the island nation and that the United States may find itself at war with China in the coming years.
Because the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC) produces the vast majority of the world’s advanced semiconductors, Taiwan is of the utmost strategic importance to the U.S.
The U.S. will destroy TSMC’s facilities rather than allow China to capture them, making them “the new OPEC of silicon chips,” according to former Trump national security adviser Robert O’Brien, who also said earlier this month that if China invades Taiwan, it will be able to “control the world economy” through these facilities.
O’Brien asserted that “the United States and its allies will never allow those factories to fall into Chinese control.”
During an appearance with Morgan on Fox Nation, DeSantis was questioned about the rising tensions in the area and whether the United States should also get involved if China invades.
“It would be aggressive, according to DeSantis. Without a doubt, it would be aggressive. The United States has a powerful ally in Taiwan. I believe that’s a crucial concern for us as well as for our important friends like Japan and South Korea, and I believe that overall, containing China’s expansion and ascent is the biggest problem we have worldwide.”
He continued, “They truly pose the biggest challenge that we’ve seen to our ability to lead since the Soviet Union. They’re much more powerful than Putin and Russia are.”
DeSantis said, “I would,” in response to the question of whether he would outlaw TikTok, which is owned by China.
“Because they are gathering so much information about our citizens,” DeSantis stated, “I think it poses a security danger. There are a ton of other applications and things available, but honestly Piers, I have young children. I don’t want our children exposed to some of this. They can’t be healthy doing it. In China, TikTok is more hygienic and healthful. They are also adding a lot of unpleasant things here. Hence, I believe it has had a damaging effect, but it wouldn’t be sufficient in and of itself. What is sufficient, however, is how they are harvesting that to use against the American people.”
