Divergences are surfacing on major concerns between leading Republicans in Tallahassee and Washington.
In a recent appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed skepticism about supporting stimulus funds being distributed to Americans from savings achieved through President Donald Trump’s so-called Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE).
“If they can manage to slash spending to the point where they are generating an annual surplus, then, of course, I’d support using some of that to pay off debt and giving some back to taxpayers. However, let’s be honest, they are a long way from reaching that level. I don’t believe it’s wise to print more money to achieve that,” DeSantis stated.
Elon Musk, the catalyst behind DOGE, initially proposed the $5,000 rebate amount on X, seemingly gaining traction from Trump, who publicly endorsed the concept.
Trump suggested allocating 20% of the DOGE savings to citizens and another 20% for debt repayment.
In the same interview on Tuesday, DeSantis also raised questions about the timing of Trump’s endorsement of U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds in the 2026 Governor’s race, amid rumors that First Lady Casey DeSantis may prefer running for the position herself instead of dealing with the logistical challenges of moving next year.
“Talking about ’26, it feels incredibly premature. He’s only been President for about a month. Now is the moment Republicans have been eagerly anticipating. All attention in the Republican realm is focused on the Trump administration,” DeSantis remarked.
Despite noting that he plays golf with Trump “relatively frequently,” DeSantis took a more conservative stance during the interview, asserting that Florida has done more to advance his agenda than Republicans in Washington.
“I raised probably more funds than he has for the ’24 cycle than any other elected official … millions upon millions of dollars. Clearly, I supported him strongly,” DeSantis explained.
“However, you know, he backed a marijuana corporate amendment on our Florida ballot that I opposed; we fought against it and won. That’s fine. I still supported him. It is what it is. We have accomplished more in Florida to promote his agenda than Congress has thus far.”
This week, DeSantis has dismissed Donalds as a non-factor, stating on Monday that the Congressman “simply hasn’t been part of any of the victories we’ve achieved against the Left these past years.”
The Governor was more complimentary regarding Trump on Tuesday concerning the potential resolution of peace in Ukraine, indicating confidence that the White House could conclude Russian aggression sooner rather than later.
He stated that “the proof is in the pudding,” asserting that Trump’s negotiation approach is “part of a broader strategy to settle this issue.”
“I believe it’s important to view it within the framework of the art of the deal and striving to finalize this,” DeSantis elaborated, alluding to the President’s influential book from decades past.
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