Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suggested Wednesday he will veto a state Republican-sponsored immigration bill he said would weaken illegal immigration enforcement.
The threat of a veto comes as DeSantis continues to feud with state Republican lawmakers, saying they passed a watered-down immigration bill.
"We must have the strongest law in the nation on immigration enforcement. We cannot be weak," DeSantis wrote on X. "The bill that narrowly passed the Florida legislature last night fails to honor our promises to voters, fails to meet the moment, and would actually weaken state immigration enforcement."
‘THANK YOU RON’ - TRUMP PRAISES DESANTIS IMMIGRATION PUSH IN FLORIDA
This week, the GOP-dominated Florida legislature gaveled out a special session called by the two-term governor to take up a series of proposals to help with President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.
Instead, state lawmakers held their own special session, where they passed other immigration bills and overrode a DeSantis budget veto, the first time in 15 years the legislature has overturned a Florida governor's veto.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MOVES QUICKLY ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
Hours after lawmakers passed the Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy Act, or TRUMP Act, DeSantis said, "The veto pen is ready."
He called the bill a weak effort to arrest and deport illegal immigrants, specifically those with criminal records.
"The removal of illegal aliens residing in our state requires strong legislation that will guarantee state and local deportation assistance, end catch and release, eliminate magnets such as remittances, and adopt supporting policies that will protect Floridians from the scourge of illegal immigration," he wrote.
A special legislative session called by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to take up a series of proposals to help implement President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown gets underway on Monday.
However, with pushback from top Republican lawmakers who call the session "premature," it is unclear if any measures will be considered.
DeSantis wants lawmakers to pass bills that would support the president's flurry of immigration and border executive orders, signed since last Monday's inauguration, and Trump's plans for mass deportation of illegal immigrants.
‘THANK YOU RON’ - TRUMP PRAISES DESANTIS IMMIGRATION PUSH IN FLORIDA
The governor wants to mandate that Florida's counties and cities participate in the federal deportation program and wants the power to suspend officials who do not comply. He is also proposing to make it a state crime to enter the nation illegally, and he wants to mandate that people show identification and their immigration status before sending money back home.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MOVES QUICKLY ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
"We've got to make sure that we are working hand-in-hand with the Trump administration," DeSantis emphasized last week in an interview on Fox News' "Ingraham Angle."
He added that the special legislative session would help "to facilitate the Trump administration's mission."
Eleven bills were filed on the eve of the special session by Florida lawmakers. Among them are measures to create a state immigration czar and to allow the governor to activate the national and state guards for immigration enforcement.
Under Florida's constitution, if the governor calls for a special session, lawmakers are obligated to show up at the capitol in Tallahassee. However, the top Republicans in the state House and Senate say that while they support Trump's immigration efforts, the special session is unnecessary with the regularly scheduled legislative session scheduled for early March.
"It's not premature," DeSantis told Fox News. "We've been waiting four years to have a partner in Washington, D.C., on this issue. We have a sense of urgency. We have to get the job done. No more dragging your feet."
DeSantis, who waged a bitter and unsuccessful primary challenge against Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was praised by the then-president-elect earlier this month.
"Thank you Ron, hopefully other governors will follow!" Trump wrote in a social media post after DeSantis announced the special session.
However, the pushback by GOP state lawmakers over the calling of the special session is a dramatic turn of events for DeSantis, who long enjoyed massive influence over the Florida legislature, especially after his nearly 20-point re-election in 2022.
Following his unsuccessful 2024 White House bid, the lame duck governor does not appear to have the same clout over lawmakers that he once enjoyed.
Pushing back against opposition to his plans, DeSantis has warned that any lawmaker who stood in his way over the special session would pay a political price.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday pushed Republican state lawmakers to take urgent action on illegal immigration, voting to fight like a "junkyard dog" and warning of political consequences for defiance.
The governor leaned on the Florida legislature ahead of a special session next week, during which he wants legislators to pass new bills to crack down on illegal immigration in sync with President Donald Trump's administration at the federal level. But GOP leaders have called the session "premature" and signaled that they may gavel out without taking action on the governor's agenda items.
DeSantis warned that would be a costly mistake. "It would be very, very hazardous politically," he told reporters during a roundtable discussion at the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. He also suggested that he would call for another special session of the legislature if GOP leaders delay action.
BORDER ENCOUNTERS DROP SHARPLY AS TRUMP LAUNCHES CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
"I have my constitutional authority to wield in this process and I will continue to wield it as appropriate so that we're able to get the job done," he said, adding that he would fight like a "junkyard dog" to get his immigration policies enacted.
"You don't let go."
DeSantis wants Republicans to enact laws that would require state and local officials to comply with the new immigration orders issued by the White House and provide funding for them to do so. He has also called for legislation that would penalize state and local officials who violate Florida's "anti-sanctuary policies," WPTV reported.
The governor also directed lawmakers to consider additional hurricane aid, crack down on ballot initiative signature fraud and address rising HOA fees.
DESANTIS CITES ‘GULF OF AMERICA’ IN WINTER STORM ORDER AFTER TRUMP REBRANDING
House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton reacted coolly when the governor called for a special legislative session starting on Jan. 27. In a joint statement on Jan. 13, they called it "irresponsible" for the legislature to act ahead of any announcements Trump may make on immigration and criticized DeSantis, stating the governor had offered only "fragmented ideas" and had not released any bill language or details for legislators to consider.
Lawmakers "will decide when and what legislation we consider," the Florida House and Senate leaders said.
Trump has already issued a flurry of executive orders to begin the promised "mass deportations" of illegal immigrants present in the U.S. On Monday, Trump declared an emergency at the southern border, deployed 1,500 soldiers to the border and ended the Biden administration's CBP One app program to process migrants at ports of entry via humanitarian parole.
His administration then launched a mass deportation operation, with ICE agents active in multiple cities and states across the U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has also issued memos rescinding limits placed on ICE by the Biden administration, ordering a review of parole and expanding the use of expedited removal for recently-arrived illegal immigrants.
And Trump’s administration has moved to restore border wall construction and reinstate the Remain-in-Mexico policy, which requires migrants to stay in Mexico for the duration of their asylum cases.
These combined policies have resulted in a sharp 35% drop in illegal immigrant encounters at the southern border, multiple DHS sources told Fox News Digital.
DeSantis rejected the concerns of the legislature, telling reporters on Thursday that "we've been waiting years for this moment. It's not premature."
"We can't drag our feet. We can't wait for something to go into effect in July. We need something immediately and we need to get everything moving, and we need to do what we told the people that elected us that we would do."
During a busy week in the nation's capital, far from the action, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had no trouble keeping his name in the political spotlight.
"This is a time for action. And a time for Washington, D.C., to deliver results to the American people. There are no more excuses for Republicans," the conservative two-term governor and 2024 Republican presidential candidate said Thursday as he named Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to succeed Sen. Marco Rubio in the Senate.
Two days earlier, President-elect Trump gave his onetime bitter GOP primary rival a shout-out after the governor called for a special state legislative session to implement Trump's expected immigration crackdown.
"Thank you Ron, hopefully other governors will follow!" the president-elect said in a social media post.
VANCE IS THE EARLY FRONTRUNNER, BUT HERE ARE THE OTHER REPUBLICANS WHO MAY RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2028
Due to the national profile he's built over the past four years, the governor of one of the country's most important states will likely continue to stay in the headlines as he takes a lead on some of the nation's most consequential issues.
The spotlight should help DeSantis if he ends up launching a second straight GOP presidential nomination run in 2028, a race in which soon-to-be Vice President JD Vance will be considered the clear early frontrunner as the perceived America First and MAGA heir apparent to Trump.
"He needs to do what he did in 2022, which is pick good fights. And he’s shown a lot of capability to pick good fights with the left both in Florida and nationally," longtime Republican strategist David Kochel said of DeSantis.
RNC CHAIR SAYS GOP HAS ‘DEEP BENCH’ FOR 2028
"I think he’ll be in demand to come do stuff in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina," Kochel, a veteran of numerous GOP presidential campaigns, predicted, pointing to the three key early voting states in the Republican presidential primaries.
"I wouldn’t change a lot from how he did the run-up to his 2024 campaign. The problem was he basically ran against an incumbent president. He didn’t have the wrong playbook. He had the wrong cycle."
While the initial moves in the 2028 White House run will likely start in the coming months, including some early state visits, most Americans won't be paying a lick of attention until after the 2026 midterms, when the next presidential campaign formally gets under way. And that's when DeSantis will be wrapping up his second and final four-year term steering Florida, allowing him to concentrate 100% on a White House run if that's in his cards.
But what about another high-profile Republican governor who likely has national ambitions in 2028?
HERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS WHO MAY RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2028
The Virginia Constitution doesn't allow for incumbent governors to run for a second consecutive term, so Gov. Glenn Youngkin will be out of office in Richmond in a year.
Compared to DeSantis, who also enjoys large GOP majorities in his state legislature, which will allow him to continue to enact a conservative agenda, Virginia is a purple state where Democrats have a slight upper hand in the legislature.
"It might be a little tougher for Youngkin, a little tougher for him to find ways to stay in the news" after he leaves office in a year, Kochel suggested.
But, Younkin predicted, "You’re going to see me a lot."
"We’ve got a very aggressive agenda for being governor in the last 14 months," he said in a Fox News Digital interview in November. "But part of that agenda that I have is to make sure that we have [Lt. Gov.] Winsome Sears as our next governor. [Virginia Attorney General] Jason Miyares is back as our attorney general and a super lieutenant governor who we will pick at our primaries."
Youngkin, who energized Republicans nationwide in 2021 as a first-time candidate who hailed from the party’s business wing, edged former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe to become the first GOP candidate in a dozen years to win a gubernatorial election in the one-time swing state that had trended toward the Democrats over the previous decade. He could also potentially end up in the Trump administration after his term in Richmond sunsets in a year.
"I told the president when I called him and told him that I wanted to finish my term that I would be available to help him at any time while I’m governor and afterwards," Youngkin told Fox News Digital, referring to a call he held with Trump right after the November election.
But if he doesn't enter the Trump administration, another route for Youngkin to stay in the spotlight in 2026 would be criss-crossing the country on behalf of fellow Republicans running in the midterm elections. It's a role Youngkin previously played in 2022, helping fellow Republican governors and gubernatorial candidates.
"He’s got to do the blocking and tackling, go state by state, help a lot of candidates, raise a lot of money for them. Get a bunch of governors elected," Kochel suggested. "That’s the playbook for him."
What about NIkki Haley, the former two-term Republican governor of South Carolina and former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. in Trump's first administration, who was the last rival standing against Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential primaries?
Out of office and shut out of the Trump world while still facing social media zingers by the president-elect, Haley's ability to grab attention should she seek the presidency again may be a more difficult climb within a party once again on bended knee to the former and future president.
Haley does have a weekly national radio show on Sirius XM, where she noted a few weeks ago, "I had no interest in being in [Trump's] Cabinet."
But a lot can happen in the two years until the next White House race officially gets under way. There could be some buyer's remorse among voters if the new administration is not successful in enacting some of its goals.
"While JD Vance starts as the presumed frontrunner right now, there’s a million miles to go between now and then," seasoned Republican strategist Colin Reed told Fox News.
And Kochel added that for some Republicans mulling a 2028 presidential bid, "I think a little strategic distance is not a bad idea. Because you don’t know what’s going to happen over the next two years."
But holding statewide office — either as a governor or senator — doesn't guarantee favorable coverage.
"Having a day job cuts both ways. It gives you a platform, a megaphone, and an ability to make news whenever you want. But it also carries with it the responsibilities of governing or legislating or being part of government bodies, whether it’s Congress or the state you are running, where things can go wrong and end up on your doorstep and become political baggage," Reed noted.
Reed warned that "history is littered with those officeholders who ran and won for a second term only to have political baggage at home become political headaches on the campaign trail."
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, who is slated to become a U.S. senator, is calling for an audit of the Federal Reserve, pledging to vocally oppose government spending, and declaring that she will fight to bolster the border and remove individuals who enter the U.S. illegally.
With Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., poised to soon leave office to serve as Secretary of State in the new Trump administration, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Moody as his pick to replace Rubio in the U.S. Senate.
And with even some Democrats planning to support confirmation, Rubio is likely to sail through the confirmation vote.
"Here's a priority of mine in the Senate: our inflation has been fueled by the Federal Reserve. We must audit the Fed!" Moody declared in a post on X.
DESANTIS ANNOUNCES CHOICE FOR SENATE APPOINTMENT AFTER RUBIO'S EXPECTED RESIGNATION
"As Florida’s next U.S. Senator, I will work tirelessly to reduce the bloat of Washington and speak out loudly against government spending," she noted in another post. "Like we've done in Florida, this country needs to cut spending and get fiscally responsible. I look forward to working with DOGE, and I will work hard to leave the next generation of our country on a much stronger financial footing."
When discussing her role in confirming judges and justices, she specifically mentioned Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.
"As a former judge, I will take my role confirming judges and justices seriously to ensure that, like Justices Thomas and Alito, they share the values and concepts of law as our Founding Fathers understood them," she said in a tweet. "I will work through the Senate confirmation process to ensure those who get confirmed are strong nominees and know that it is their duty to interpret the Constitution as it is written."
WHO IS ASHLEY MOODY? MEET THE SENATE'S NEWEST MEMBER FROM FLORIDA
Sharing Moody's post, DeSantis called Alito and Thomas "the gold standard."
"In the U.S. Senate, I will support President @realDonaldTrump and fight for legislation that strengthens the border, builds the wall, and removes those who entered unlawfully," Moody noted in a tweet.
DeSantis responded, declaring, "Make Illegal Immigration Illegal Again."
Gov. Ron DeSantis is sending Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody from Tallahassee to Washington, D.C., to fill Sen. Marco Rubio’s seat in the U.S. Senate.
Rubio is in the midst of the confirmation process to serve as President-elect Donald Trump's secretary of state.
A 49-year-old mother of two, Moody has served as the state’s top prosecutor since 2019, having previously worked as an assistant U.S. attorney and a circuit court judge. The Republican state attorney general has supported lawsuits to invalidate the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, and pushed against restoring voting rights for felons and marijuana legalization.
Her husband, Justin Duralia, serves as the deputy chief of the Plant City Police Department in Hillsborough County.
As a senator, Moody promised to work to undo regulations instituted by government agencies and shrink the federal budget. "The only way to return this country to the people, the people who govern it, is to make sure we have a strong Congress doing its job, passing laws and actually approving the regulations that these unelected bureaucrats are trying to cram down on the American people," she said.
"I've got the backs of the American people," Moody went on. "I am driven by many things in life. I will bring the influence of many things, in my life, my experiences certainly, but I am driven by my faith in God. First and foremost. I am driven by the fact that I am a mother and I still have a kid in school … I'm a trained accountant, so I can shrink the bloat of the federal government."
Initially, Trump and Sens. Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., endorsed Trump's daughter-in-law and former RNC co-Chair Lara Trump to succeed Rubio. However, last month, she said she withdrew her name from consideration.
Moody will have to run to keep the seat in a 2026 special election, and House Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., has already said he will run for the seat.
'THANK YOU RON': TRUMP PRAISES DESANTIS OVER FLORIDA IMMIGRATION PUSH
Moody has worked in tandem with DeSantis to promote his agenda. Most recently she filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice for what she claimed was a federal government effort to block Florida’s investigation into the second Trump assassination attempt, which occurred at his Mar-a-Lago golf course.
Last year, she sued the Biden administration for a rule she argued would force doctors to provide gender transition care.
In 2024, she also petitioned the Supreme Court to disqualify a Florida ballot measure to expand abortion access by arguing its language could mislead voters.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., revealed on Thursday who he plans to appoint to the Senate once Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., resigns, as he is expected to be confirmed to be President-elect Donald Trump's Secretary of State after his inauguration.
The governor selected Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to be the next senator.
CONFIRMATION DELAYS STACK UP FOR TRUMP NOMINEES AS PAPERWORK LAGS IN FEDERAL OFFICES
Moody has been a key ally of DeSantis in the state and worked in tandem with him to facilitate his agenda as governor.
During his Thursday announcement, DeSantis said "So this is something that I thought about long and hard. We did a lot of research. We got a number of great candidates throughout the state of Florida, and many of them, I think, could have done a good job. But the final criteria I used was because you can say all those things and say you stand for it—I wanted somebody with a demonstrated record of delivering results on those important issues. Talk is cheap."
"We need people that have demonstrated fidelity to these principles with their actions. So that is why today I'm proud to announce that I am selecting our Attorney General, Ashley Moody, to serve as our next U.S. Senator," he told attendees.
Moody accepted the challenge and thanked the governor for choosing her. "Thank you so much. I will bring the same persistence and passion and tenacity as a United States Senator that I have brought as Florida's Attorney General," she said.
"If you have worked with me and fought with me over the last six years, you know, I don't think of this as a job. I think of it as a calling," she explained.
When asked about potentially taking on the role on "Fox and Friends First" in November, Moody previously said, "I have my hands full here as attorney general, and I'm incredibly focused on this job, working on behalf of Floridians, making sure I'm protecting the autonomy of the state and pushing Washington out of our business and holding them accountable. Of course, I love … being in leadership, working with President Trump, working with Governor DeSantis. And I hope to continue working on behalf of Floridians."
Initially, Trump and Sens. Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., endorsed Trump's daughter-in-law and former RNC Co-Chair Lara Trump to succeed Rubio. However, she later withdrew her name from consideration.
TRUMP ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE PAM BONDI TO TESTIFY BEFORE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
"After an incredible amount of thought, contemplation, and encouragement from so many, I have decided to remove my name from consideration for the United States Senate," she wrote on X.
Following Thursday's announcement, Scott congratulated Moody on X. "I welcome @AGAshleyMoody to the United States Senate! Ashley has done an incredible job fighting for Floridians and keeping our communities safe as Attorney General. I have no doubt she will do an incredible job as senator!" he said.
DeSantis added on Thursday that he expects to appoint Moody to the Senate the afternoon of January 20, after Trump is sworn in to office.
"We anticipate Senator Rubio to get confirmed very quickly after the inauguration of the 47th president, President Trump," he said.
He further thanked Rubio for his service as a senator. "I want to thank Senator Rubio for his service in the United States Senate. I think he will serve the country ably as Secretary of State and, we need it because, the last four years has been a total disaster, under the Biden-Harris administration," the governor said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has ordered flags at state buildings to be raised to full-staff for President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.
This comes despite the official order by President Biden after the death of former President Jimmy Carter on Dec. 29 that flags at all government and public buildings and grounds across the country fly at half-staff for a 30-day mourning period, which just happens to include Inauguration Day.
It is a tradition when a former president dies to order a 30-day mourning period and order flags at half-staff.
Biden said the U.S. flag "should be displayed at half-staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions."
ABBOTT ORDERS FLAGS AT FULL-STAFF FOR TRUMP'S INAUGURATION DESPITE ONE MONTH ORDER TO HONOR CARTER
Governors across the country issued their own orders regarding how to fly flags in their respective states on Inauguration Day.
DeSantis joins other Republican governors who will break tradition and fly flags at full-staff before the mourning period ends Jan. 28. He ordered that all flags at the Florida Capitol and across all state buildings, installations and grounds to be raised to full height on Jan. 20.
"On this unique occasion, where we simultaneously celebrate the service of an incoming president and commend the service of a former president, our nation's flag will be prominently displayed at full-staff to honor the tradition of our founding fathers and the sacrifices made by those who have served to ensure the torch of liberty continues to bum strong," DeSantis said in his order.
"The following day, on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, all flags at state buildings, installations, and grounds across the State of Florida will once again be lowered to half-staff to honor President Carter's service," the governor said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also ordered flags at the U.S. Capitol to be flown at full-staff on Inauguration Day.
Trump has criticized the potential for flags to be displayed at half-staff for his inauguration following Carter's death.
"The Democrats are all 'giddy' about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at 'half mast' during my Inauguration," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 3. "They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don't love our Country, they only think about themselves."
"Look at what they’ve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years - It’s a total mess! In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast," he continued. "Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Flags were flown at half-staff when former President Nixon was sworn-in for his second term in 1973 after Nixon ordered the flags to be lowered following the death of former President Truman.
A Florida state lawmaker has introduced a bill to ban illegal migrants from being admitted to some public colleges and universities.
Republican state Sen. Randy Fine proposed the legislation the day after GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis called for a special legislative session to help push President-elect Trump's immigration agenda.
"Is it fair to allow an illegal immigrant to take a spot that could be taken by a Floridian or an American? I would argue no," Fine said.
Fine’s bill would ban public colleges and universities with an acceptance rate under 85% from admitting students who are in the country illegally, which would include the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of Central Florida and Florida International University.
FLORIDA LAWMAKER INTRODUCES BILL TO REQUIRE DACA STUDENTS TO PAY OUT-OF-STATE TUITION
There are an estimated 1.2 million illegal migrants living in Florida, according to the Pew Research Center.
Migrant students in the U.S. illegally can currently qualify for in-state tuition at public colleges and universities. Fine also recently proposed a bill that would require high school graduates with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, status to pay out-of-state tuition.
During the 2023-2024 school year, about 6,500 migrant students who were in the U.S. illegally qualified for a waiver from paying out-of-state tuition at the state’s public colleges and universities, according to the nonprofit Florida Policy Institute.
Three states prohibit students in the U.S. illegally from enrolling in at least some colleges, while half of states allow these students to qualify for in-state tuition, according to the National Immigration Law Center.
DeSantis scheduled the special session to begin the week after Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration to fund efforts to address illegal immigration, including for detention and relocation. The governor has said the state must work to support Trump's promises to tackle illegal immigration and ensure that "we don’t have any lingering incentives for people to come into our state illegally."
Trump, in a Truth Social post on Tuesday, thanked DeSantis for calling a special session, saying "hopefully other Governors will follow!"
But the governor has faced criticism from the legislature's Republican leaders, who described his call for a special session as "premature" and "irresponsible."
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Fine is among the Republican lawmakers who have vowed to support Trump and his agenda but have criticized the governor's push for a special session as rushed.
"This was not accompanied with a robust bill package for us to consider," Fine told reporters. "You want to call a special session? Give me the bills you want me to vote for."
Fine, who joined the state Senate in November, is resigning from the legislature, effective March 31, so he can run for the U.S. House seat that is expected to be vacated by U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., who was nominated by Trump to be his national security advisor.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers star wide receiver Mike Evans can add one more honor to his already illustrious resume — his own holiday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that Jan. 10, 2025, is Mike Evans Day.
"Florida celebrates Mike Evans for his profound dedication to the sport of football, making countless memories for fans across the Sunshine State and across the country," DeSantis said in a statement.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"Mike Evans was named the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for the fourth time in his career due to his unyielding commitment to giving back to the Tampa Bay community and improving the lives of countless others through his Mike Evans Family Foundation."
DeSantis also listed the many accomplishments Evans has achieved on the field.
"Evans’ career includes 168 games played, over 830 receptions for a total of over 12,684 yards and 105 career receiving touchdowns," a statement said.
BUCS’ MIKE EVANS MAKES NFL HISTORY, CASHES $3 MILLION INCENTIVE WITH CATCH ON FINAL PLAY OF GAME
"Evans’ record of accomplishment has included selection to the Pro Bowl five times and inclusion as a second-team All-Pro in 2016 and 2023."
The Florida governor also noted how Evans accomplished his eleventh consecutive 1,000 yard season, which he achieved in the waning moments of the Bucs' win Sunday.
With Evans’ eleventh consecutive 1,000-yard season, he tied the legendary Jerry Rice’s all-time record. Evans has never finished a season with fewer than 1,000 yards.
Evans was selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers and became an immediate star.
While Evans may be happy about getting his own day, he has a playoff matchup to think about.
Evans’ Bucs are playing the Washington Commanders at home at 8 p.m. ET Sunday in the wild-card round.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called out a reporter on Thursday for the lack of blame being placed on California leaders for the devastating wildfires, pointing out that it's in stark contrast to how Republican leaders are often treated in the wake of disasters.
DeSantis, and all other Republican governors, had just wrapped up a dinner with President-elect Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on Thursday evening when the heated exchange with a reporter took place.
The reporter appeared to be asking another governor if it was appropriate for Trump to criticize Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom as deadly wildfires rage throughout the state.
The question prompted DeSantis to step forward and ask, "Is it appropriate for people in your industry to try to create division and to try to create narratives any time these things happen?"
"Now, you're not as interested in doing that because Newsom is a D. If Newsom was a Republican, you guys would go try... you would have him nailed to the wall for what they're doing over there," he continued.
DESANTIS HALTS RIVALRY WITH NEWSOM, OFFERS AID TO BESIEGED BLUE STATE GOVERNOR
The Florida governor, who has managed multiple disasters during his tenure, said he has often been criticized for things that were out of his control and has been blamed for incidents before the facts came out, referencing the 2021 Surfside condominium collapse.
"I think your track record of politicizing these things is very, very bad," DeSantis said.
He said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass would be treated much differently for her trip to Ghana while fires were high risk if she were a Republican.
"You should have been there preparing and doing that, and yet I don't see a lot of heat being directed [toward her]," DeSantis said. "I'd like to see some balance on how this is done. You can criticize the president-elect, but you also have to hold these other people accountable, and I have not seen that."
Bass returned to Los Angeles on Wednesday, and didn't have much to say to the residents of her city outside of news conferences. While waiting to deplane, she gave the cold shoulder to Sky News reporter David Blevins, who was asking her if she had anything to say about the devastating fires.
"No apology to them? Do you think you should have been visiting Ghana while this was unfolding back home?" Blevins asked as Bass continued to look at the ground.
"Madam mayor, let me ask you just again, have you anything to say to the citizens today as you return?" he said.
As multiple wildfires rage on in Los Angeles County, California residents have been criticizing both Newsom and Bass for past decisions related to fire-prevention efforts, including Bass' decision to cut the LAFD budget by $17 million.
The wildfires have claimed at least 10 lives since they broke out on Tuesday, scorching more than 35,800 acres total and destroying thousands of homes and businesses.
Firefighters were still struggling to contain the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire — the two largest of the group — as they sit at 6% contained and 0% contained, respectively, on Thursday evening, according to data by CAL FIRE.
President-elect Trump is hosting a group of Republican governors for dinner at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, Thursday evening.
The gathering comes a week and a half before the former and future president is inaugurated Jan. 20 and takes over the White House.
The meeting gives Trump a chance to speak with the GOP governors who will likely play an integral role in carrying out the Trump agenda in his second administration, including his push for mass deportation of immigrants with criminal records.
Among those attending the dinner are governors Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Fox News confirmed.
AMERICA'S NEWEST GOVERNOR TAKES PAGE FROM TRUMP WITH DOGE-LIKE EFFORT
DeSantis, a one-time Trump ally who clashed with the former president in 2023 and early last year during a contentious 2024 GOP presidential nomination race, mended relations a bit with the former president after the primary season.
DeSantis endorsed Trump and helped raise money for the Republican nominee's general election campaign.
THIS NEW GOVERNOR LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
Reynolds, the conservative two-term governor, drew Trump's ire during the presidential primaries by endorsing DeSantis and serving as his top surrogate during the Iowa caucuses.
"Excited to meet with President @realDonaldTrump tonight at Mar-a-Lago," Reynolds wrote in a social media post. "I stand ready to help enact his agenda of Making America Safe, Prosperous, and Great Again!"
Youngkin, who mulled a 2024 White House run of his own before deciding against it, teamed up with Trump a couple of times during the general election campaign.
Kemp, who in November took over as chair of the Republican Governors Association, was heavily criticized by Trump after refusing to help Trump overturn his razor-thin defeat to President Biden in Georgia in the 2020 election. And Trump urged, and then supported, a 2022 GOP gubernatorial primary challenge against Kemp by former Sen. David Purdue. But the former president toned down his criticism of the governor after Kemp crushed Perdue to easily win renomination on his way to re-election.
The two politicians appeared to patch up their differences in recent months, as Kemp supported Trump in the general election.
Politico was first to report on Trump's dinner with the governors.
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has offered to assist California as Gov. Gavin Newsom is grappling with multiple fires ripping through Los Angeles County this week.
"Our prayers are with everyone affected by the horrific fires in Southern California. When disaster strikes, we must come together to help our fellow Americans in any way we can," DeSantis posted to X on Wednesday morning.
"The state of Florida has offered help to assist the people of California in responding to these fires and in rebuilding communities that have been devastated," he added.
DeSantis' offer of support to California comes after he recently led his state through Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene last year. The two governors have frequently traded barbs with one another in recent years, most notably when Florida was open for business during the pandemic, and California implemented strict lockdown orders and mandates.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY, FORCING THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES
At least four fires are raging in Los Angeles County this week, tearing through the Pacific Palisades and Sylmar neighborhoods of Los Angeles, as well as near the city of Pasadena. Newsom declared a state of emergency after the Pacific Palisades fire quickly grew on Tuesday.
PALISADES FIRE: HEIDI MONTAG, SPENCER PRATT LOSE HOME; CELEBRITIES FLEE RITZY NEIGHBORHOOD
"This is a highly dangerous windstorm that's creating extreme fire risk – and we're not out of the woods. We're already seeing the destructive impacts with this fire in Pacific Palisades that grew rapidly in a matter of minutes," Newsom said in a statement. "Our deepest thanks go to our expert firefighters and first responders who jumped quickly into fighting this dangerous fire. If you're in Southern California, please pay attention to weather reports and follow any guidance from emergency officials."
At least 30,000 residents have evacuated the area as the devastating fires have burned mansions and homes to the ground, including those belonging to Hollywood stars such as James Woods.
"All the smoke detectors are going off in our house and transmitting to our iPhones. I couldn’t believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long. It feels like losing a loved one," Woods shared on X of the devastation to his home.
ACTOR STEVE GUTTENBERG HELPS PALISADES FIRE FIRST RESPONDERS AS FLAMES RAGE, 'IT'S A GHOST TOWN'
President Biden reported to the public that he has been in frequent communication with California leaders as the fires rages and that FEMA aid was approved to assist efforts.
"I am being frequently briefed on the wildfires in west Los Angeles. My team and I are in touch with state and local officials, and I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire. Earlier tonight, FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to support areas that are impacted and help reimburse the state of California for the immediate firefighting costs. My Administration will do everything it can to support the response," Biden posted to X on Tuesday evening.
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