Disney reportedly is cutting its business plans in Florida amid the legal battles with the state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis; and former President Donald Trump's campaign is hailing having called it back in April.
The Trump campaign issued a pair of statements, headlined "Ron DeSanctimonious Gets Caught in the Mouse Trap" and "President Trump Is Always Right."
"Today, Ron DeSantis single-handedly lost the State of Florida nearly $1 billion in investment and over 2,000 jobs — with an average salary of $120,000 — because he was too weak to fight for his state," the Trump campaign statement read Thursday evening. "Ron DeSantis' failed war on Disney has done little for his limping shadow campaign, and now is doing even less for Florida's economy.
"On top of that, President Trump warned last month on Truth Social that weakness by DeSantis would lead to today's disastrous outcome."
The statement's subhead "The Culture of Losing Continues" takes a direct shot at DeSantis' veiled shot at Trump on Saturday in Iowa.
"I think the hope is both Florida and Iowa show how strong leadership and a bold agenda can defeat the left in this country, but there's no substitute for victory," DeSantis said during a Sioux Center, Iowa, fundraiser speech Saturday that aired live on Newsmax.
"We must reject the culture of losing that has infected our party in recent years. The time for excuses is over. We've got to demonstrate the courage to lead and the strength to win."
Trump's statement Thursday added reference to an April Truth Social post in which he predicted poking Mickey Mouse would ultimately defund its Florida operations.
"Disney's next move will be the announcement that no more money will be invested in Florida because of the Governor — In fact they could even announce a slow withdrawal or sale of certain properties, or the whole thing.
"Watch! That would be a killer."
Emails to DeSantis' office and the pro-DeSantis PAC Never Back Down seeking comment were not immediately returned. A DeSantis political operative redirected comment to the governor's office.
The New York Times did receive an email from a DeSantis spokesman Thursday after its report.
"Disney announced the possibility of a Lake Nona campus nearly two years ago," the email read, the Times reported. "Nothing ever came of the project, and the state was unsure whether it would come to fruition.
"Given the company's financial straits, falling market cap, and declining stock price, it is unsurprising that they would restructure their business operations and cancel unsuccessful ventures."
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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