The Political Insider

On Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called President Joe Biden’s federal mask rule for air travel “irrational.”

DeSantis made his remarks during a press conference in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, where he touted his state’s record-breaking 2021 tourism numbers.

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DeSantis: ‘It’s irrational what they’re doing with the mask mandate’

The governor said about 118 million domestic visitors came to Florida in 2021, which also produced that state’s highest hotel revenue ever, a whopping $17.3 billion.

DeSantis argued that those numbers would be even higher if the president would end the mask mandate on planes.  

“How ridiculous is it.,” DeSantis said. “They force you to wear a mask but if you put the mask under your chin and you sip on water for two hours, then somehow it’s fine and that’s OK.”

“It’s irrational what they’re doing with the mask mandate, but I know there are definitely people who just don’t want to go through the hassle of having to be accosted about masks,” DeSantis said.

The Republican said that Biden should “absolutely reverse the mask mandate, federal mask mandate on air travel.”

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DeSantis on masking children: ‘It’s hard to make sure the kids behave as it is. You have to force a mask on them?’

He continued, “People have sued on it, nobody’s been successful. I think it’s an irrational policy at this point and hopefully they’ll be able — and how they treat these young children by forcing these two year olds.”

DeSantis is a father who has young children.

“It’s hard to make sure the kids behave as it is,” DeSantis said. “You have to force a mask on them? Give me a break. I mean, it doesn’t even work. So hopefully they’ll take away the federal mask mandate.”

The governor then made a prediction.

“Although I’ll tell you, I can see this just persisting indefinitely,” DeSantis said. “I guess. You’ll have to wait until January 20, 2025, to finally get rid of it, but it’s going to be gone one way or another.”