Ron DeSantis calls for student loans to be backed by universities and NOT taxpayers as Biden wipes $132 BILLION in debt: Says ‘truck driver’ should not pay for someone else to get a ‘gender studies’ to degree

Ron DeSantis said universities, not taxpayers, are responsible for student loans as President Biden forgave another $4.8 billion in student debt earlier today, bringing his total debt forgiveness to $132 billion.

During the fourth Republican presidential debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, DeSantis promised to “lower inflation and lower interest rates,” which he plans to achieve by “vetoing a lot” if elected.

The Republican candidate told the audience that “student loans will be provided by universities” and not by taxpayers.

“I don’t support having a truck driver pay off student loans by getting a degree in gender studies, that’s wrong, but I’m going to get to the root cause of the problem,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis’ demands for university-backed student loans come just hours after Biden canceled another $4.8 billion in student debt — despite the Supreme Court striking down his plan to cancel $400 billion in debt in June .

Ron DeSantis says universities, not taxpayers, are responsible for student loans

Biden said his decision to forgive another $4.8 billion on Wednesday will allow former students to “realize their dream.”

During the fourth Republican presidential debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, DeSantis promised to “lower inflation and lower interest rates,” which he plans to achieve by “vetoing a lot” if elected.

In June, the justices ruled 6-3 that Biden’s controversial plan to pay off the debts of 26 million Americans at taxpayer expense was unconstitutional and an overreach of his executive power.

Biden The latest move will benefit 80,000 people, including public sector workers and those who have been paying off loans for at least 20 years.

The President said, “Following the Supreme Court’s decision on our student debt relief plan, we continue to seek an alternative path to provide student debt relief to as many borrowers as quickly as possible.

“From my first day in office, I vowed to improve the student loan system so that higher education gives Americans opportunity and prosperity rather than an unmanageable burden of student loan debt.”

He added, “I will not shy away from using every tool at our disposal to give student loan borrowers the help they need to achieve their dreams.”

Biden’s dogged push for relief coincides with the 2024 election and a desire to win over young voters.

A White House spokesman said: “The President is committed to fighting for hardworking American families by giving them a little more breathing room and allowing them to support themselves and their families.”

DeSantis spoke out in July, rejecting Democratic ideals forgive student loans, but said the system needs to be reformed to help Americans financially.

“I believe the university should be held accountable for student debt,” he insisted. “You create someone who can be successful and he pays off his loans, great. If you don’t, you’ll be on the hook.”

DeSantis’ fellow Republicans shared their opposition to Biden’s loan forgiveness. Speaker Mike Johnson said: “The Biden Administration’s latest student debt transfer does not ‘cancel’ or ‘forgive’ a penny of student loan debt.

“Instead, President Biden is once again asking hardworking taxpayers to foot the loan bills for wealthy graduates. It’s not only unfair, it’s wrong.”

Tonight’s debate featured the return of former Fox News host Megyn Kelly, who reappeared as a debate moderator eight years after her infamous 2015 confrontation with Trump when she challenged him over “misogynistic” comments.

Kelly and her fellow moderators Elizabeth Vargas and Eliana Johnson questioned the remaining candidates about abortion, climate change, terrorist threats and more.

Only four Republican presidential candidates remain on the debate stage – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

“I don’t support making a truck driver pay off a student loan by getting a degree in gender studies—that’s training, that’s wrong, but I’m going to get to the root cause of the problem,” DeSantis said.

Former President Donald Trump, an early contender for the Republican nomination, held a fundraiser in Florida instead.

The other candidates hit the ground running, with DeSantis, in his first speech of the night, accusing Haley of supporting “child mutilation,” although past comments have not condemned gender reassignment surgery on minors.

And Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old millionaire biotech entrepreneur, said Haley left South Carolina “bankrupt” after her time as governor and sold out to corporations to rise to millionaire status, including through serving on the board of Boeing.

“We weren’t bankrupt when I left the UN. We are people of service—my husband is in the military, and I have served our country as an ambassador and governor of the United Nations,” Haley responded. “The company may have gone bankrupt for him, but it certainly wasn’t bankrupt for us.”

But Haley said the bigger problem is that her competitors on the stage are “jealous” because they want donors supporting her candidacy to give their money to their campaigns.

“As for the donors who support me, they are just jealous,” Haley said. “They would like to be supported.”

Gov. Christie didn’t get a chance to speak until 17 minutes into the debate, when DeSantis, Haley and Ramaswamy sparred.