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Ron DeSantis

The latest news on Ron DeSantis, American politician and governor of Florida, including United States news and politics in the United States.

Born

14 Sep 1978

Industry

Politics

Job Title

Politician

Marco Rubio

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22 Jan 2024 - 2:13PM

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Explainer | Can Trump be stopped? Key questions after DeSantis exits

22 Jan 2024 - 4:38PM

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Ron DeSantis ends 2024 campaign, endorses Donald Trump

On the eve of the New Hampshire primary, the Florida governor ended a White House bid that failed to meet expectations he would emerge as a serious challenger to the former US president.

22 Jan 2024 - 4:26PM

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announces his withdrawal from the race. Photo: Ron DeSantis campaign via Reuters

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Trump dominates Iowa caucus, DeSantis edges Haley for second

Donald Trump’s victory on Monday night gives him a strong start in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination as the contest moves to New Hampshire.

16 Jan 2024 - 5:08PMvideocam

US-China relations

Anti-Chinese laws take toll in Florida as Ron DeSantis’ presidential run falters

The Florida governor has built his campaign partly on moves against Chinese staff at state universities and restrictions on property purchases.

13 Jan 2024 - 7:02AMvideocam

US presidential election 2024

Haley and DeSantis turn fire on Trump in Republican 2024 race

South Carolina governor Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis battle for a distant second place to former president Donald Trump with less than two weeks until Iowa’s leadoff caucuses.

5 Jan 2024 - 2:51PM

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina governor and UN ambassador Nikki Haley. Photo: AP

US-China relations

DeSantis says China creates conflict by propping up Russia and Iran

The 2024 US presidential hopeful linked Beijing to the Ukraine and Israel-Gaza wars, and called the Asian superpower a ‘formidable threat’ to the US.

28 Oct 2023 - 2:34AMvideocam

Ukraine war

DeSantis says Ukraine joining Nato isn’t in best interest of US

The Republican presidential hopeful says such a move would mean more obligations for the us, and added that Washington should not give Kyiv a ‘blank cheque’.

24 Sep 2023 - 7:33AM

Natural disasters

Biden visits Florida in Hurricane Idalia’s wake, but DeSantis won’t meet him

The governor and 2024 presidential hopeful may not want to be photographed with Biden overlooking storm damage now as the Republican primary race intensifies.

3 Sep 2023 - 4:21AM

US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden speak with a woman during their tour of Hurricane Idalia storm destruction in Live Oak, Florida, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

US presidential election 2024

DeSantis replaces campaign manager as 2024 US presidential bid flounders

James Uthmeier will take over from long-time aide Generra Peck, as the Florida governor trails Donald Trump in the race for the Republican nomination.

9 Aug 2023 - 8:09AM

Florida Governor Ron Desantis speaks during an interview in Des Moines, Iowa, in July. Photo: Reuters

US-China relations

Ron DeSantis lashes out at China and corporate power in campaign speech

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a 2024 Republican presidential hopeful, unveiled a broad economic policy zeroing in on China’s rise.

1 Aug 2023 - 10:13AM

US presidential election 2024

DeSantis cuts a third of presidential campaign staff as he seeks urgent reset

The Florida governor, thought to be Trump’s chief rival in the Republican primary contest, is in financial trouble as his stumbling campaign burns through cash.

26 Jul 2023 - 6:06AMvideocam

US-China relations

US presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis supports revoking China’s trade status

If he won the 2024 White House race, Republican DeSantis said he would take steps to revoke China’s permanent normal trade relations status. The US Senate voted in 2000 to grant normal trade relations status to China.

10 Jul 2023 - 12:48AM

Republican presidential candidate, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at a campaign rally in Eagle Pass, Texas on June 26. Photo: Getty Images / TNS

US presidential election 2024

Ron DeSantis quiet on Trump indictment as he faces conservatives in Trump country

Speaking to Nevada Republicans for the first time as a presidential candidate, the Florida governor said the US ‘is off the rails’. He made no direct mention of the federal indictment of chief Republican rival Donald Trump.

18 Jun 2023 - 7:25AMvideocam

US Republican presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in Gardnerville, Nevada on Saturday. Photo: AP

US presidential election 2024

DeSantis dares Newsom to take on Biden in 2024

Republican Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida escalated his feud with California Governor Gavin Newsom, daring him to ‘stop pussyfooting around’ and launch a primary challenge against US President Joe Biden.

16 Jun 2023 - 1:55PM

United States

Ron DeSantis channels Churchill’s iconic 1940 speech to wage war on ‘woke’

Florida governor, who hopes to become president, said ‘we will fight the woke in education, we will fight the woke in corporations, we will fight the woke in Congress’, his words reminiscent of British PM Winston Churchill’s speech to boost morale during war against Nazis.

5 Jun 2023 - 7:52PM

US presidential election 2024

Trump and DeSantis trade jabs on 2024 campaign trail

The ex-president appeared in Iowa and invited the audience to ask him questions – something his chief Republican rival has seemed reluctant to do.

2 Jun 2023 - 10:43AM

Former US president Donald Trump speaks at the Grimes Community Centre in Iowa on Thursday. Photo: AFP

US presidential election 2024

DeSantis bashes Trump as 2024 campaign swing begins

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis bashed Donald Trump on issues such as immigration, Covid policy and federal spending, suggesting that he had drifted away from conservative principles as president.

31 May 2023 - 11:08AM

US presidential election 2024

Is it ‘Dee-Santis’ or ‘Deh-Santis’? Even Ron DeSantis and wife can’t agree

The Florida governor and Republican White House hopeful has pronounced his own last name in different ways over the years, sometimes in the same day.

26 May 2023 - 5:07AM

US-China relations

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announces US presidential bid

Republican’s widely expected decision, shared via Twitter discussion with Elon Musk, sets stage for battle with former ally and polling favourite, Donald Trump.

25 May 2023 - 8:59AM

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a former US congressman, has trailed only Donald Trump in recent polling of likely Republican voters. Photo: AP

US presidential election 2024

DeSantis to enter 2024 White House race in Twitter event with Musk

The Florida governor will announce his bid for the Republican nomination on Wednesday, putting him on a collision course with Donald Trump.

24 May 2023 - 3:55AM

Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis waves to supporters at an event in Las Vegas in November 2022. Photo: AFP

United States

Disney cancels plans for US$1 billion campus, 2,000 jobs in Florida

Disney’s move is the latest ripple effect from its feud with Republican governor of the state Ron DeSantis.

19 May 2023 - 10:06AM

US presidential election 2024

Florida Governor DeSantis to enter US presidential race next week

Ron DeSantis would be Donald Trump’s biggest rival for the Republican nomination, shaking up a contest that largely has been one-sided.

18 May 2023 - 11:43AM

US-China relations

DeSantis signs bills limiting Chinese land ownership, TikTok at schools

Citing a threat from China, the governor moved to curb real estate purchases by Chinese nationals and ban Chinese apps from school and government servers.

10 May 2023 - 5:13AMvideocam

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis responds to a question during a press conference in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, in April. Photo: TNS

US presidential election 2024

Is sun setting on DeSantis before he officially enters 2024 race?

He’s up. He’s down. He’s getting in. Maybe he won’t. He’s a saviour. He’s an authoritarian. Everyone, it seems, has a visceral, unnuanced view of Ron DeSantis and his presidential ambitions.

8 May 2023 - 3:02PM

Donald Trump has opened up significant lead on Ron DeSantis in recent polling. Photo: AFP

US presidential election 2024

Trump has 36 per cent lead over DeSantis in 2024 Republican poll

New poll puts Donald Trump’s support at 58 per cent of Republican voters compared to just 22 per cent for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has faded badly in recent months.

3 May 2023 - 1:03PM

United States

Disney sues Florida Governor DeSantis over ‘retaliation’

The company is accusing the governor and likely 2024 presidential hopeful of ‘government retaliation’ after it opposed his ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law.

27 Apr 2023 - 11:33AM

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