Although Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was quick to support GOP rival Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential primary, he was just as quick to shoot down any suggestion of Floridians picking up the former president's legal tab.
In response to a rapidly circulating Politico report suggesting that some Republicans in the state would like to offer Trump some tax-payer funded legal assistance, DeSantis wrote on X, "But not the Florida Republican who wields the vote pen ..."
The contentious bill in question would have allowed Florida residents to cover up to $5 million in legal fees the former president has incurred since announcing his candidacy. Trump is facing four different criminal charges in four different states. The Florida charges stem from a federal case that he absconded with classified documents to his home in Palm Beach Country and obstructed efforts by federal authorities to retrieve those documents.
Florida State Sen. Ileana Garcia, who has endorsed Trump's presidential bid, posted on her X account that she would withdraw the bill.
"This bill was filed on January 5th amidst a crowded primary, including two Florida residents," she said, referring to DeSantis and Trump.
"My concern was the political weaponization against conservative candidates, and while (Florida Chief Financial Officer) @JimmyPatronis brought me this bill at a time when all candidates were committing to campaign through the primary, one frontrunner now remains, and he can handle himself," she continued. "I will be withdrawing the bill."
DeSantis withdrew from the presidential race Sunday and put out a video endorsing Trump.
"I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee, and I will honor that pledge," he said. "He has my endorsement because we can't go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear: A repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents."
Although DeSantis has no plans to subsidize Trump's legal woes, he told the New Hampshire Today's Chris Ryan, that the more the legal system pushes on Trump, the more support he gets.
"Well, I think there's two things," DeSantis said in answer to why GOPers still support Trump.
"I mean, one, you saw the increase in his support when he had the indictment, and every subsequent indictment seems to get a little bit more support. You can track that — it's a very clear correlation," DeSantis said.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.