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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was compared to Genghis Khan, a murderous Mongol warlord, in an op-ed from Thursday that also labeled him as just “as dangerous to democracy” as former President Donald Trump.

In a Vanity Fair column headlined “Ron DeSantis shouldn’t be covered like just another Republican,” left-wing writer Molly Jong-Fast launched a series of attacks on the governor. 

She argued that DeSantis is more than just a “culture warrior.”

“He is the Genghis Khan of social issues, using every opportunity to target and demonize groups that have already been targeted and demonized throughout history,” Jong-Fast claimed. 

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Genghis Khan’s many wars are estimated to have killed roughly 40 million people, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. (In Pictures Ltd./Corbis via Getty Images)

Some users on Twitter mocked Jong-Fast for comparing DeSantis, an American politician, to Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire. Khan’s wars are estimated to have killed roughly 40 million people, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. 

“DeSantis is more of a Genghis Khan mixed with Pol Pot rolled up in Stalin and [multiplied] by Hitler,” Grabien founder Tom Elliott sarcastically tweeted on Thursday. 

Jong-Fast, who has over one million followers on Twitter, also argued that DeSantis was an oppressor in “classic authoritarian” style because he opposed, among other things, critical race theory (CRT) in Florida universities. 

DeSantis announced in January that the state would slash funding to all CRT and diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state colleges because education should be “grounded in actual history, the actual philosophy that has shaped western civilization,” he said in a press conference at the time. 

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“He is the Genghis Khan of social issues,” one liberal columnist said of DeSantis. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

Jong-Fast similarly targeted former President Donald Trump in her verbal onslaught, calling him the “poor man’s DeSantis.” 

But she urged readers to take both leaders seriously, saying that “DeSantis is as dangerous as Trump—if not more.”

DeSantis has yet to declare his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, as Jong-Fast acknowledged, but some late night comedians have focused on the growing tensions between DeSantis and Trump. 

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Late night hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel reacted Tuesday to a New York Times report that Trump has called DeSantis “Meatball Ron” in private. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Late night hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel reacted Tuesday to a New York Times report that Trump has called DeSantis “Meatball Ron” in private. 

Jong-Fast was adamant that Trump and DeSantis were both “cut from the same autocratic cloth.”

“They are not the kind of leaders that we’re accustomed to seeing in a democracy,” she emphasized.

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As avian influenza sweeps the nation — infecting more than 58.3 million poultry and 6,192 wild birds in the U.S. as of Wednesday, per the CDC — infectious disease experts are watching closely.

Dr. Christian Sandrock, division vice chief of internal medicine at UC Davis Health in Sacramento, California, specializes in infectious diseases and has researched avian influenza extensively. 

Although bird flu is contagious, Dr. Sandrock does not think it poses a grave danger to humans.

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“It’s predominantly a disease of birds,” he told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. 

“It’s very common among wild waterfowl all around the world, and it can jump to domesticated birds, particularly turkeys and chickens. It can also infect pigs, swine and many other animals,” he said.

Bird flu has infected more than 58.3 million poultry and 6,192 wild birds in the U.S. as of this past Wednesday, the CDC said. (iStock)

That’s not to say humans can’t catch it. 

Dr. Sandrock confirmed that people can contract bird flu — and it’s possible for them to get sick or even die from it — but he said the virus would have to change in some way to become highly contagious among humans.

The contagion risk increases when a strain of avian influenza mixes with another flu virus that is more “human-friendly,” a process called genetic reassortment, he said. The end result is a new virus that is stronger and easier to transmit.

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“A single virus can go from a bird to a human — but the real threat is when you throw in one or two other viruses from pigs or humans, and that sets the stage,” Dr. Sandrock said.

“The influenza virus is excellent at mutating and recombining.”

Erica Susky, a certified infection control practitioner based in Canada, doesn’t rule out the chance of human transmission. 

“The influenza virus is excellent at mutating and recombining,” she said. “If there are repeated contacts between species that can be infected by one type of influenza viral strain or another, there is an increased chance of a novel strain that can adapt to transmission in a different species, such as humans.”

The CDC has identified five strains of bird flu that have infected humans. The strain that is currently taking the biggest toll on the bird population is H5N1. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Although it’s still rare for humans to catch bird flu, the fatality rate is high if it does happen. 

In a virtual press conference earlier this month, Dr. Sylvie Briand, director of the pandemic and epidemic diseases department at the World Health Organization (WHO), said that when humans are infected, they are more likely to have severe disease. 

Although it’s still rare for humans to catch bird flu, the fatality rate is high if it does happen.

“It’s between a 30-50% case fatality ratio, but again, those viruses are not very transmissible,” Dr. Briand said.

To date, the CDC has identified five strains of bird flu that have infected humans: H5N1, H6N1, H7N9, H9N2 and H10N3. The strain that’s currently taking the biggest toll on the bird population is H5N1.

As of publication time, there has only been one human case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S.

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“Over the past few weeks, there have been several reports of mammals — including minks, otters, foxes and sea lions — having been infected with H5N1 avian influenza,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during the February press conference.

“H5N1 has spread widely in wild birds and poultry for 25 years, but the recent spillover to mammals needs to be monitored closely.”

The bird flu outbreak has slashed egg production, causing prices to soar to record highs in 2022. (Reuters/Hannah McKay)

Lisa Steele, a farm owner in Maine who tends her own flock of backyard chickens, has been keeping a close eye on the bird flu outbreak.

“The avian flu is nothing new — it circulates every few years — but generally, it’s only during the wild bird migration season,” she told Fox News Digital in an email. 

“Last year, the cases continued pretty much all year. It is a bit concerning that the warm weather doesn’t seem to result in a reduced number of cases.”

People who come across a sick or dead bird should avoid touching it — and contact local authorities. 

The bird flu outbreak has slashed egg production, causing prices to soar to record highs in 2022.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that by the end of December 2022, more than 43 million egg-laying hens had died as a result of H5N1.

Steps to minimize the spread

Susky said the highest risk of transmission is from direct contact with infected birds during the process of slaughtering and preparing them.

“The best way to minimize risk is to avoid contact with birds and wild animals,” she told Fox News Digital in an email. 

The H5N1 strain of avian flu has spread to minks, otters, foxes and sea lions, among other mammals.

“Those working with birds or other animals, such as in agriculture, should be trained in using protective equipment to minimize potential exposure to injury from animals, fluids and aerosols — for example, from soiled bedding and feeds,” Susky said. 

“This could include handwashing, proper disinfectants, gloves, aprons, eye protection, boot covers, masks and proper facilities to provide maximum air exchanges.”

Because the disease spreads through wild birds and waterfowl, Steele said it’s important to keep bird feeders away from chicken coops or poultry houses, or take them down altogether if there are active cases in the area.

It’s important to keep bird feeders away from chicken coops or poultry houses, or take them down altogether if there are active cases of bird flu in the area, said one farm owner. (iStock)

“Backyard chicken keepers should take further precautions, such as keeping their chickens indoors or undercover to protect them from bird droppings, which also can spread the virus,” she said.

People who come across a sick or dead bird should avoid touching it and contact local authorities. 

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“Signs that an animal is in distress include abnormal behavior, being docile around humans, and being found in places they wouldn’t normally be,” JD Bergeron, CEO of International Bird Rescue in San Francisco, told Fox News Digital.

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The CDC will continue to update the bird flu data on its website each Wednesday at 2 p.m. EST.

Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, are speaking out while dealing with the devastating aftermath of a train derailment that caused toxic chemicals to pollute the town’s environment.

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Despite EPA officials and the Biden administration claiming the town is safe to inhabit, many residents are apprehensive of these claims due to allegedly seeing and feeling the effects of the toxicity permeate their community. 

“It makes me feel infuriated,” said East Palestine resident Mike McKim told “Jesse Watters Primetime” in response to officials’ guidance regarding the safety of the town.

“The only way I’m going to feel good about anything that’s going on here is when they come down off of their pedestals. Come to East Palestine, drink the water, bring their kids, make baby formula, and take their kids. Play basketball right where I’m at, right here I’m at ground zero practically right now. I don’t feel safe. I haven’t seen any groundwater or ground testing as far as my kids can go play basketball outside. My kids can ride on bicycles, play in puddles. I haven’t seen any of it. I want to see that. And until I see that, I don’t believe any of it,” said McKim.

Despite the reported testing, community members have described sightings of dead animals and fish in local waterways. Ohio Sen. JD Vance ventured to the town to scope out the damage caused and chemicals can be seen stirred up in the creek he visited.

An environmental company is removing dead fish downstream from the site of the train derailment that forced people to be evacuated from their homes in East Palestine, Ohio, Feb. 6, 2023. (Reuters/Alan Freed ./File Photo)

Lenny Glaven, another East Palestine resident, said the creek the senator visited was close to his house. Glaven described how Vance seeing those chemicals in the water was “surreal.”

“That’s the same creek that, you know, I can access from my house right on that side of town. I can walk from my house through the park, through the walking trail. That trail actually goes down along that trail. My three kids, my dog, my wife. We’ve walked that many times. And if you keep going to the end of it, it’s my parents right at the bottom of that hill,” he Glaven.

McKim went on to say how he wants to be able to “trust” the health reports and “believe” everything is well going forward with the town.

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“I want to see the railroad tycoons come down here. They created this mess. They created the problem. You have to be liable for the problem that you created. Get down here. Apologize to everybody. That would be a good start. It really would be. But I don’t think they have the balls to do it,” says McKim.

Arkansas filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to reject its plan to comply with federal rules that are supposed to assure that the state’s coal-fired power plants and industrial sites don’t pollute the air in other states.

The state filed a petition with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals over the EPA disapproving the state’s plan to meet the “good neighbor” obligations under the Clean Air Act. The EPA rejected plans from Arkansas and 18 other states this week.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a Republican, said the agency isn’t allowing her state to revise its plan, which was submitted in 2019.

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“Critical Arkansas industries, and more importantly, Arkansas workers and their families, stand to be affected by this out-of-control federal overreach,” Sanders said at a news conference with Attorney General Tim Griffin announcing the lawsuit.

Arkansas has filed a lawsuit against the EPA’s decision to reject the state’s plan to prevent air pollution.

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A 2015 EPA rule blocks states from adding to ozone pollution outside their boundaries. Last year the agency announced its plan to limit downwind pollution from power plants. In cases where a state has not submitted a “good neighbor” proposal — or in cases where EPA rejects one — the federal plan would take effect to protect downwind states.

The EPA didn’t immediately have a comment about the lawsuit when contacted by The Associated Press. The agency has said its plan will help states meet air quality standards and improve health in communities affected by smog.

Griffin said the EPA rejected Arkansas’ proposal based on the impact its emissions would have on the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas, which Griffin said was a different standard than the state was originally told it would be held to.