Speaking to reporters after a campaign event in Iowa on Friday, DeSantis clarified his previous responses on how he would use his pardon powers if elected president.

When asked about a potential pardon for Trump, DeSantis responded, "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." This statement refers to the pardon granted by then-President Gerald Ford to former President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal in the 1970s.

Pressing further on whether he would specifically pardon Trump, DeSantis reiterated, "Yeah, I said that months ago," indicating his intention to pardon Trump if elected. The confirmation came from DeSantis' campaign spokesperson in response to questioning from NBC News on Saturday.

Previously, DeSantis had been elusive when asked about pardoning Trump during his campaign. In an interview with former Fox News host Megyn Kelly in July, DeSantis suggested that granting clemency would be in the best interest of the country, stating, "I don't think it would be good for the country to have an almost 80-year-old former president go to prison."

The issue of a potential pardon for Trump has emerged repeatedly during DeSantis' campaign. At a recent campaign stop in Iowa, a voter directly asked DeSantis if he would pardon the former president, to which he pivoted to another subject, saying, "I've addressed that, but that's a different thing."

DeSantis' previous lack of clarity on the matter reflects the challenge faced by GOP candidates who seek to gain support from Trump's base while also differentiating themselves from the former president.

Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley expressed similar reasoning during a campaign event in New Hampshire, stating that she would likely pardon Trump if he is convicted, as it would be in the best interest of the country to move on.

Haley's comments drew criticism from fellow Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie, who accused her of not being honest with voters about Trump's conduct in office. Christie stated that pardoning Trump would lower the U.S. to the level of "tin pot democracies... around the world."

Another GOP presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, voiced his support for a pardon, believing it would help reunite the country. Ramaswamy emphasized the distinction between bad and illegal behavior when referring to Trump's actions and argued that the former president should not face prosecution.

Trump currently faces multiple felony counts in four criminal cases, including allegations of election interference, mishandling of classified documents, and falsifying business records related to hush money payments. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and maintains his innocence.

As the presidential campaign continues, the question of pardoning Trump remains a topic of discussion among GOP candidates, highlighting the complexities they face in finding a balance between appealing to Trump's base and presenting themselves as alternatives to the former president in the nominating contest.