Ron DeSantis has come under fire, including from fellow conservatives, after Disney announced on Thursday it had canceled plans to build a new $1 billion campus in Orlando, which would have brought 2,000 new jobs to the state.
The Florida governor has been locked in a bitter battle with Disney since its president criticized his Parental Rights in Education bill, dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by critics. DeSantis stripped the corporation of the largely self-governing status it enjoyed around its parks, while Disney launched legal action against the governor, arguing he is undermining its First Amendment right to free speech.
Polling indicates DeSantis is the second most popular possible 2024 GOP presidential candidate with Republican voters, following Donald Trump, though he has slipped significantly in the past couple of months. Thus the Florida governor's ongoing conflict with Disney could help determine who occupies the White House from January 2025 onwards. However, DeSantis has not yet announced if he plans to run for president.
Disney announced it was pulling its new $1 billion Orlando complex on Thursday, with Walt Disney World Resort President Jeff Vahle attributing this to "several dynamics," in a statement directed at community leaders. He claimed these included "a change in company leadership and evolving economic and business conditions."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a conference titled "Celebrate the Faces of Israel" at Jerusalem's Museum of Tolerance, on April 27. DeSantis has come under fire after Disney announced it has canceled plans to invest another $1 billion in Florida. MAYA ALLERUZZO/POOL/AFP/GETTY
Bob Chapek, Disney's previous CEO, angered some of the company's staff by initially declining to condemn DeSantis's Parental Rights in Education bill, which bans schools from teaching about "sexual orientation and gender identity" up until a certain grade.
Chapek later apologized to employees and condemned the bill publicly in March 2022, sparking the current spat with DeSantis.
In November 2022, he was replaced as CEO by Bob Iger, who took an assertive stance against DeSantis, initially frustrating the Florida governor's bid to strip Disney of its special status before new legislation was brought in. Under Iger's watch, it was confirmed that Disney will host the "largest LGBTQ+ conference in the world" later this year. In addition, the entertainment giant sued DeSantis, claiming it suffered a "targeted campaign of government retaliation" after opposing his education bill, The New York Times reported.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, a Republican, said Thursday on NewsNation's The Hill that it "looks like" the decision had been made to pull the complex in response to DeSantis's "personal vendetta" against Disney, which has "cost the state now potentially 2,000 jobs in a billion-dollar investment."
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez reacts to the news that Disney is pulling the plug on $1 Billion development in Florida | Mayor Francis Suarez #OnTheHill pic.twitter.com/8axWcQ3gFa — TheHillNewsNation (@TheHillNN) May 18, 2023
Fox News commentator Dagen McDowell also criticized the governor following Disney's announcement, stating: "Ron DeSantis does not have an economic plan as of yet, and today Disney just pulled a $1 billion investment out of Florida."
Dagen McDowell criticizes DeSantis, much to Hannity's chagrin: "Ron DeSantis does not have an economic plan as of yet, and today Disney just pulled a $1 billion investment out of Florida." pic.twitter.com/ZRhEJxHV98 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 19, 2023
The Lincoln Project, a group founded by anti-Trump conservative operatives in 2019, also criticized the move on its official Twitter account.
"What's saddest about this Disney news? DeSantis and his cowardly MAGA cultist FL legislators that spurred this entire situation will be fine either way. It's the hard-working Floridians that they used as pawns in their fake culture war that'll feel the brunt of this for decades," the group wrote.
What's saddest about this Disney news? DeSantis and his cowardly MAGA cultist FL legislators that spurred this entire situation will be fine either way. It's the hard-working Floridians that they used as pawns in their fake culture war that'll feel the brunt of this for decades. — The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) May 18, 2023
Keith Boykin, a political commentator and former aid to former President Bill Clinton, added: "Ron DeSantis puts the 'L' in Florida."
Disney has canceled a nearly $1 billion office complex that was scheduled for construction in Orlando that would have brought more than 2,000 jobs to the region, with $120,000 as the average salary.
Ron DeSantis puts the “L” in Florida. https://t.co/scy0ckFgUJ — Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) May 18, 2023
Former Trump White House aide Alyssa Farah Griffin, a self-described conservative who appears on ABC's The View, criticized DeSantis for creating an "uncertain business environment."
However, Dave Rubin, the registered Republican who hosts The Rubin Report, hit back at Griffin in a message to his 1.4 million Twitter followers.
"What makes you a conservative or a Republican other than it pays well to pretend to be one to be on The View? DeSantis took special rights away from Disney. He got rid of crony capitalism," he tweeted.
What makes you a conservative or a Republican other than it pays well to pretend to be one to be on The View? DeSantis took special rights away from Disney. He got rid of crony capitalism.
Oh wait, Disney owns ABC, which just so happens to be the network you work for.
Whoopi… https://t.co/x7fvr4WxNZ — Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) May 19, 2023
When approached for comment by Newsweek Bryan Griffin, DeSantis's press secretary, sent over a tweet he posted on Thursday, responding to a New York Times article about the $1 billion development being scrapped.
The tweet read: "This consistent 'poor @Disney" framing is the media running PR for a gigantic, multinational corporation that is fighting to keep special privileges & circumvent legislative action. It's unreal—and speaks directly to the times we live in. @GovRonDeSantis is right in this fight."
This consistent "poor @Disney" framing is the media running PR for a gigantic, multinational corporation that is fighting to keep special privileges & circumvent legislative action. It's unreal—and speaks directly to the times we live in. @GovRonDeSantis is right in this fight. https://t.co/BnKUOgZT4p — Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) May 18, 2023
Update 5/19/23 9:36 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with comment from Bryan Griffin, Governor DeSantis's press secretary.
Dalton_1980 on May 19th, 2023 at 11:44 UTC »
$1billion investment lost, 2,000 jobs lost plus the investment in infrastructure to accommodate the people relocating, ladies and gentlemen your next president NOT Ron DeSantis
alien_from_Europa on May 19th, 2023 at 11:42 UTC »
I think screwing over farmers and truckers is a bigger story. DeSantis really ate his own face here. No migrant workers to work the fields or drive the trucks. Major shipments are getting delayed and produce is rotting because they can't get people to work.
Losing 2000 jobs in the Orlando area from Disney is just the tip of the iceberg.
STL_Jayhawk on May 19th, 2023 at 10:21 UTC »
MAGA Florida Losers should be grateful to their brave and courageous governor prevent "woke" Disney bring well thousands of paying jobs to their MAGA paradise since these would be "woke" employee to coming to Florida with "woke" Disney values.
This is what winning looks like if you are MAGA Florida Loser.