Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis laughs before a roundtable discussion on college sports in the East Room of the White House, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)Ron DeSantis has been roasted on social media after he launched an “embarrassing” attack on Britain’s record in the Second World War.
The former Republican presidential hopeful posted a bizarre message on X after another user poked fun at America as it marks 250 years of independence.
Above a picture of the Old Ferry Boat Inn in St. Ives, No Context Brits wrote: America is 250 years old. This pub is 1,466 years old.”
DeSantis, who is the governor of Florida, responded: “And if it wasn’t for America the insignia on the pub would be written in German.”
This was a reference to US troops joining forces with the Allies to defeat the Nazis in World War 2.
And if it wasn’t for America the insignia on the pub would be written in German. https://t.co/hoFWoSkMR2
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) July 5, 2026However, other X users were quick to point out that DeSantis’s observation was historically inaccurate, given Britain had already repelled Germany’s attempts to invade before America joined the war.
Actually if it weren’t for their very own RAF the insignia on the pub would be written in German.
Crack a fucking history book open before you embarrass yourself publicly like this again.
Really? Your lot didn’t show up to help until 1942, when we’d already repelled German efforts to invade in 1940. Maybe you should stick to the local politics of your own Florida backyard. You’re clearly out of your depth on historic and geopolitical matters. https://t.co/mvVsVgrW7C
— Andrew Neil (@afneil) July 5, 2026This is embarrassing from DeSantis. Britain stood alone, defending the free world, while we were on the sidelines, crippled by isolationism. And that's after Britain took the most horrific casualties confronting Imperial Germany in World War I. https://t.co/GC1xJYukXb
— David French (@DavidAFrench) July 5, 2026Bad form for a governor and aspiring president to dump on the British, who quite bravely fought back against German attacks before we had joined the war. https://t.co/aAhuYmDklz
— Gregg Nunziata (@greggnunziata) July 5, 2026Governor DeSantis is a history graduate from the great university @Yale - did he miss class the day they covered the Second World War? https://t.co/KiOOcTHN6X
— Iain Martin (@iainmartin1) July 5, 2026I’m a big fan of Ron DeSantis, and I’m trying to work out whom this idiotic comment is aimed at. He is surely too intelligent actually to believe it. Is there a fiercely Anglophobic constituency in Florida that I have somehow missed? https://t.co/RwDsJ6fEyj
— Daniel Hannan (@DanielJHannan) July 5, 2026Your ignorance of the Battle Of Britain probably isn’t something to boast about in public.
— Matthew Stadlen (@MatthewStadlen) July 6, 2026Others left DeSantis in no doubt what they thought of his comment.
Can it, you absolute bloviating buffoon.
— Giles Dilnot (@reporterboy) July 5, 2026Ignorant fool.
— Edward Luce (@EdwardGLuce) July 6, 2026Complete and utter nonsense.
— Fran 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇩🇪🇺🇦 (@FranS199) July 5, 2026Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
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