Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Wednesday that Hurricane Milton “is currently in the process of making landfall” as a Category 3 hurricane in Sarasota County, and he warned residents to “hunker down” until the storm passes. “So the storm is here. It’s time for everybody to hunker down,” DeSantis said at a press conference… Source link
Former President Trump on Monday said he had a “great meeting” over the weekend with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), Trump’s former primary rival, whom he has relentlessly disparaged in recent months. “I am very happy to have the full and enthusiastic support of Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The former president said Steve Witkoff, a longtime Trump ally and real estate mogul, arranged the meeting. “The conversation mostly concerned how we would work closely together to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote. “Also discussed was the future of Florida, which is FANTASTIC! I greatly appreciate Ron’s support in taking back our Country from the Worst President in the History of the United States. November 5th is a BIG DAY!!!” While Trump likely does not need DeSantis’s help to win the state of Florida in November, the Florida governor has a strong base of donors and supporters who could help the former president as he takes on President Biden. DeSantis is also believed to have an eye on the 2028 presidential race, and …
During the 2024 Republican primary, before Florida governor Ron DeSantis dropped out, Donald Trump: Claimed DeSantis openly wept while begging for an endorsement during his first gubernatorial run Told people DeSantis would be working for a law firm or “a Pizza Hut” if it wasn’t for him Nicknamed DeSantis “Ron DeSanctimonious” Ominously threatened to reveal “things about him that won’t be very flattering” Shared on Truth Social an image of DeSantis appearing to party with high school girls, and the claim that DeSantis was “grooming high school girls with alcohol as a teacher” (Trump’s own captions read, “No way?” and “That’s not Ron, is it? He would never do such a thing!”)* After DeSantis dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Trump—but not as enthusiastically as some people believed he should have—a top Trump adviser called the governor a “sad little man” who would only be remembered for “chicken fingers and pudding cups.” Later, after DeSantis told reporters he would help Trump campaign “nationally,” but probably not in Florida because it won’t be a …
Former President Donald Trump met privately over breakfast with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday, six sources said. The meeting was described as “nice” and “friendly” by one of the sources, who added that DeSantis plans to help raise money for Trump. A separate source said the meeting was mutually agreed upon and arranged by Steven Witkoff, the chairman of a real estate company, who is a mutual contact of the two men. However, a Trump campaign official told NBC News that DeSantis reached out to Trump’s team through Witkoff two weeks ago to set up a meeting to “bury the hatchet” and discuss fundraising. The meeting, which was first reported by The Washington Post, took place in Florida. DeSantis was golfing at Shell Bay Club, a golf club near Miami, where Trump joined him for breakfast. DeSantis told donors and supporters during a private retreat in April that he planned to help raise money for Trump’s campaign, NBC News first reported. Just months ago, DeSantis slammed Trump during the bitter Republican primary contest, referring …
Authored by Debra Heine via American Greatness, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation into law Wednesday that ends squatters’ rights in the Sunshine State, stating that “squatting” is a scam that violates private property rights. After alarming stories about squatters commandeering homes and depriving the owners of their property rights made nationwide news in recent weeks, DeSantis took action. “We are in the state of Florida are ending this squatters scam once and for all. And momentarily I’ll be signing HB 621, which will give the homeowner the ability to quickly and legally remove a squatter from a property and which will increase criminal penalties for squatting,” DeSantis said during a press conference on the signing at the Orange County State Attorney’s Office. “You are not going to be able to commandeer somebody’s private property and expect to get away with it. We are in the state of Florida are ending this squatters scam once and for all, DeSantis added. The common sense law allows property owners to file an affidavit to prove they legally own a property. Squatters …
The war between Mickey Mouse and Ron DeSantis appears to be over. Disney and allies of the outspoken Florida governor have reached a settlement in their court battle over how Walt Disney World in the Orlando area is developed in the future. The agreement brings to an end almost two years of litigation sparked after Mr DeSantis’ takeover of a special tourism district from Disney supporters following the company’s opposition to Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law. Image: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Pic: AP The controversial 2022 law bans classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades and was championed by the Republican governor. The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District provides municipal services such as firefighting, planning and mosquito control, and was controlled by Disney supporters for most of its five decades. A board appointed by Mr DeSantis to oversee development around Disney’s theme parks sued the company to void “backroom deals” favourable to the entertainment conglomerate. Mr DeSantis used Disney as a punching bag in speeches on the campaign trail as …
Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board chairman Martin Garcia, right, delivers remarks as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis listens during a news conference at CFTOD headquarters at Walt Disney World on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Joe Burbank | Orlando Sentinel | Getty Images Disney agreed Wednesday to end litigation in state court involving a Florida special tourism district that the entertainment giant effectively controlled for more than five decades until last year after Gov. Ron DeSantis moved to revoke that status. The settlement lifts a significant barrier to the continued development of Walt Disney World in the Orlando area. The lawsuit was originally filed in state court by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District to void agreements the old district board had signed with Disney right before it was dissolved at DeSantis’ behest after Disney opposed Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill backed by the governor. Disney in turn had asked the court to rule that the agreements, which benefited the company, were valid. As part of the settlement of that case …
Florida on Monday became the first state to effectively bar residents under the age of 14 from holding accounts on services like TikTok and Instagram, enacting a strict social media bill that is likely to upend the lives of many young people. The landmark law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, is one of the more restrictive measures that a state has enacted so far in an escalating nationwide push to insulate young people from potential mental health and safety risks on social media platforms. The statute both prohibits certain social networks from giving accounts to children under 14 and requires the services to terminate accounts that a platform knew or believed belonged to underage users. It also requires the platforms to obtain a parent’s permission before giving accounts to 14- and 15-year-olds. In a press conference on Monday, Mr. DeSantis hailed the measure, saying it will help parents navigate “difficult terrain” online. He added that “being buried” in devices all day long was not the best way to grow up. “Social media harms children in …
Authored by Philip Wegmann via RealClear Wire, Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro announced last week to the more than 15 million monthly listeners of his eponymous podcast that he wouldn’t just vote for Donald Trump, he would also co-host a fundraiser for the former president. Because the choices for president are identical to 2020, Shapiro said he would “walk over broken glass” to support Trump. Almost immediately, he had an opportunity. Trump said Monday that “any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion,” comments that the White House quickly condemned as “vile and unhinged antisemitic rhetoric.” Shapiro, an Orthodox Jew and outspoken ally of Israel, provided a quick defense. Far from antisemitic, he said Trump was “making a point which I have made myself, which is that Jews who are voting Democrat do not understand the Democratic Party at this point.” The left in Congress, he continued, was “split at best between moderates on Israel and radicals who hate Israel.” For Trump, the rebuttal was welcome, especially given that it came from a pundit …
Ron DeSantis may have dropped his presidential bid months ago, but the cruelty that fueled his failed campaign has persisted. Speaking to right-wing radio host Dana Loesch Tuesday, the Florida governor suggested he would resume his previous anti-immigration stunt—this time threatening to fly Haitians arriving in Florida after fleeing turmoil in their country to Martha’s Vineyard, another ploy for conservative political points. “We do have our transport program also that’s going to be operational,” a smiling DeSantis said. “Haitians land in the Florida Keys; their next stop very well may be Martha’s Vineyard.” The Republican governor had previously sent a plane with dozens of South American migrants to the Massachusetts island in 2022. He described the move, at the time, as a deterrent against undocumented immigrants arriving in Florida. In actuality, it was a transparent effort to further endear himself to the MAGA right by “playing politics with human beings,” as Joe Biden put it. “It’s un-American,” the president said at the time. Now, DeSantis is threatening to continue that grotesque gamesmanship ahead of an anticipated increase in arrivals in the …
