Elkader, Iowa - Presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently shared that if he wins the presidency in 2024, he would look into pardoning Donald Trump if the former president gets convicted of criminal charges.

Following his campaign event over the weekend in Iowa, DeSantis was pressed by reporters on whether he would issue the pardon for his rival, as Trump is currently facing 91 criminal charges that could ruin his chances at re-election.

"I think we got to move on as a country and, you know, like Ford did to Nixon, because the divisions are just not in the country's interest," he explained to NBC News.

Though DeSantis repeatedly insisted to the outlet that he has shared similar sentiments "long ago," it is the first time he has given a straightforward answer, as he has spent most of his campaign tiptoeing around the subject of Trump.

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His remarks come after rival Nikki Haley shared a similar sentiment during a rally in New Hampshire last week, where she said she would pardon Trump because it's not within the best interest of the US "to have an 80-year-old man sitting in jail that continues to divide our country."

Trump continues to lead in the Republican primaries by a wide margin that has barely changed since he announced his candidacy, even as 2023 saw him face numerous legal issues, heavy criticism, and countless controversies.

When DeSantis first launched his campaign in May 2023, he was seen as Trump's biggest rival in the race. He has since maintained a steady second-place position but has failed to resonate with the party or even begin to close the gap between him and his opponent.

Some speculate that candidates like DeSantis and Haley have avoided criticizing Trump too much in an effort to avoid upsetting his prominent MAGA base, which is needed to win over the party as a whole, while others believe both candidates are simply posturing in hopes of being chosen by Trump to be his vice president, as their campaigns are seen as long shot efforts.

DeSantis, who recently said that Trump's legal issues have "distorted the primary," seems to think saying that he would pardon Trump would be beneficial, as it would appease a large amount of the Republican base.