Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his allies are intensifying their campaign against Walt Disney Co.
In recent days, Ron DeSantis has been highly critical of Disney's actions to obstruct his plans to take control of certain areas within the company's Orlando parks and enterprises.
On Wednesday, Ron DeSantis said that he would "make sure that we keep them in their pen, one way or another." He made the remarks in a gathering in South Carolina, a state with an early presidential primary, according to NBC News.
Ron DeSantis was promoting his new book, which mocks Disney as a "Magic Kingdom of Woke Corporatism."
While the Florida governor has not declared his intention to run for president, he is widely seen as former President Donald Trump's primary rival for the GOP candidacy in 2024.
He also put further pressure on Disney by appointing a hand-picked board of directors to run Disney World's special tax district. Disney wrongfully gained control of the land before they took it over, and the Florida government moved Wednesday to reclaim it.
The board took the measure two days after DeSantis discussed several potential steps against Disney World, including expanding property next to the theme park.
Donald Trump Blasts DeSantis Over Feud with Disney
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, former president Donald Trump blasted DeSantis' conflict with Disney, saying that DeSantis is totally "being destroyed by Disney," per Politico.
Donald Trump predicted that Disney might announce that they will no longer invest in Florida due to the actions of Ron DeSantis and may even consider selling certain assets or leaving altogether, which could have serious consequences. He called the whole situation a political stunt and suggested that the Governor should focus on addressing the issue of squatters instead.
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How did the Ron DeSantis-Disney feud start?
Walt Disney's requirement that on-site staff at its Orlando theme park get the COVID-19 vaccine marked the beginning of the long-running dispute between Ron DeSantis and the entertainment giant. DeSantis responded by declaring that he would punish Disney and other businesses that require vaccinations.
The situation worsened when the governor publicly criticized Disney for supporting a bill that forbade schools from teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation-a measure that opponents dubbed the state's "Don't Say Gay" law, according to Yahoo! News.
DeSantis asked the Florida Legislature to react by introducing legislation giving the governor authority over the Reedy Creek Improvement District at Walt Disney World and enabling him to create a five-person board of supervisors. A unique area that Disney can control itself because of a 1967 Florida statute.
The business secretly stripped the incoming board of much of its authority before they were able to assume their seats before DeSantis took charge of the board in February. Ron DeSantis demanded a probe into Disney's behavior after accusing the business of blindsiding him.
Disney CEO Bob Iger defended the choice at the company's annual shareholders meeting and criticized the governor's reprisal as "anti-business and anti-Florida."
Iger emphasized that businesses, like individuals, can express themselves, using Disney's criticism of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" legislation as an example. He emphasized his disapproval of DeSantis' reprisal against the business, which essentially punishes it for exercising its constitutional rights.
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