(Headline USA) The Heritage Foundation announced this week that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will headline its 50th leadership summit next month and deliver a “major policy speech,” adding more fuel to the widespread speculation about his 2024 ambitions, Fox News reported.
“Conservatives are craving a bold and visionary leader who gets things done—and that’s exactly what Gov. Ron DeSantis has accomplished in Florida,” Heritage President Kevin Roberts said in a statement.
“Heritage recognized Florida as the top state in America for parental rights and school choice, largely because of Gov. DeSantis’ leadership,” Roberts added. “He’s unafraid to take on woke and powerful corporate interests while putting the values of everyday Floridians first and foremost.”
The summit will feature other prominent conservatives, including Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
DeSantis is widely expected to launch a bid for the presidency at some point this summer—much to the chagrin of former President Donald Trump, the first GOP candidate to announce his run and current frontrunner.
Trump has attacked DeSantis frequently in recent months, calling the governor “Meatball Ron” and accusing him of being an establishment prop.
DeSantis, however, has largely avoided engaging with Trump. This week, for example, when asked whether he would help fight Trump’s extradition to New York if prosecutors try to indict him, DeSantis said he would not get involved with the debacle.
“I don’t know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair. I can’t speak to that,” DeSantis said in an apparent jab.
“But what I can speak to is if you have a prosecutor who’s ignoring crimes happening every day in his jurisdiction, and he chooses to go back many years ago to try to use something about porn star hush money payments,” he added, referring to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. “That’s an example of perusing a political agenda and weaponizing the office.”
