Iowa, United States

Equating being "woke" to a "form of cultural Marxism" Florida governor Ron DeSantis has provided the world with his definition of the widely controversial word. 

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Recently, former US president Donald Trump remarked that he does not like the word "woke" because "half the people can't even define it". Building up on that, an NBC correspondent asked DeSantis for his definition of the word.

Speaking at the sidelines of his Iowa campaign stop, the governor, who himself is often at the centre of controversies, said that the controversial term 'woke' is "basically a war on the truth".

The Florida governor is a Republican contender in the race for the White House. Alongside other major Republicans like Donald Trump and Nikki Haley, he is running in the next year's US Presidential Elections.

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Ron DeSantis' definition of "Woke"

As per The Hill, Desantis said: "Look, we know what woke is, it's a form of cultural Marxism."

"It's about putting merit and achievement behind identity politics, and it's basically a war on the truth. And as that has infected institutions, and it has corrupted institutions."

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Also read | Presidential candidate Nikki Haley criticises fellow Republicans Trump and DeSantis over Ukraine war

He further rallied the people and exclaimed that "you've got to be willing to fight the woke," adding that they have "done that in Florida, and we proudly consider ourselves the state where woke goes to die."

What did Trump say?

At the Westside Conservative Breakfast in Urbandale, Trump said that he didn't like the term "woke" because "half the people can’t even define it."

"I don't like the term 'woke' because I hear, 'Woke, woke, woke.' It's just a term they use, half the people can't even define it, they don’t know what it is," Trump said.

DeSantis' history with 'wokeness'

In recent years, DeSantis has adopted the idea of "wokeness" in his career and campaign. 

Notoriously against the woke, he even established a law known as the "Stop WOKE Act". 

Also read | It's not just Trump vs Biden, these are the contenders in 2024 United States presidential election race

Here WOKE stands for "Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees," and the law as per The Hill is designed to combat "woke indoctrination" by businesses and schools in Florida.

The law prohibits instruction that could make anyone feel like they bear "personal responsibility" for historic wrongdoings because of their race, sex, religion or national origin.

However, the law faced challenges in the court. A federal judge blocked parts of the law saying that they infringe on and violate people's First Amendment rights of free speech and the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause for being impermissibly vague.  

(With inputs from agencies)

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