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According to Axios, President Trump reportedly told some aides that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had “begged” him for a position in the federal administration, including that of attorney general.
The Republican governor is also said to have expressed interest in serving as secretary of defense and even in securing a seat on the Supreme Court.
The revelations
DeSantis will have to leave his current position at the end of his second term in January and, according to sources close to the administration, is “trying to figure out what to do next.” Trump is said to be inclined to help his former primary rival.
“Ron was begging me to become attorney general,” the president reportedly told a confidant after having lunch with DeSantis at his Miami golf club.
DeSantis’s conversations with Trump are said to have intensified in recent weeks, after the U.S. leader removed Kristi Noem from her role as Secretary of Homeland Security and Pam Bondi from her position as Attorney General. Todd Blanche, who served as Trump’s personal lawyer and as the number two at the Department of Justice under Bondi, is currently holding that role on an interim basis.
The White House’s silence
For now, the White House has not commented on the talks between Trump and the current Florida governor.
“Some in the media prefer to focus on fake rumors rather than the many accomplishments of Florida’s partnership with the Trump administration,” said DeSantis’s spokesperson, Alex Lanfranconi. “The governor looks forward to continuing to work with President Trump on enforcing immigration laws, restoring the Everglades, and helping to reform college athletics.”
DeSantis’s ambitions
According to sources, DeSantis had actually already begun discussing a possible appointment with Trump last year, after the president’s reelection.
At the time, the president was considering appointing the governor to head the Department of Defense, before ultimately opting for Pete Hegseth.
“DeSantis is 100% not interested in the AG job, but he would be interested in two things: Secretary of War or Supreme Court, which would be his dream job,” another source familiar with the discussions said.
That source added that DeSantis and conservative Justice Clarence Thomas “almost have a father-son relationship and would be a hell of a legacy for Trump.”
