According to US media reports, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is set to announce his presidential bid for 2024 during a discussion with Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter. The event, scheduled to take place on Wednesday at 18:00 local time (22:00 GMT), will be hosted on Twitter Spaces, a platform that enables audio conversations.
NBC has revealed that a campaign video is expected to be released later that evening. Governor DeSantis is considered a significant contender for the Republican nomination and is seen as the main challenger to former president Donald Trump.
The Twitter Spaces meeting, retweeted by Elon Musk to his 140 million followers, has generated significant anticipation. Mr. Musk stated at a Wall Street Journal event that this announcement on social media would be the first of its kind.
While it remains unclear whether Musk’s hosting of the event indicates support for DeSantis’s campaign, tech entrepreneur David Sacks, a known supporter of the governor, is expected to moderate the discussion.
Governor DeSantis’s announcement coincides with the start of a fundraising retreat in Miami, where his supporters will reportedly receive updates about his upcoming campaign. Speculation surrounding his candidacy will finally be put to rest with this announcement.
DeSantis’s tenure as governor of Florida has been marked by the expansion of gun-ownership laws, the implementation of restrictions on sex and gender identity education in public schools, and the introduction of new limits on abortion. In the coming months, he is expected to highlight his conservative policy achievements and position himself as an accomplished politician without the “drama” associated with Donald Trump.
This announcement on Twitter Spaces, which has a significantly larger user base compared to Trump’s Truth Social platform, presents an opportunity for increased publicity for the DeSantis campaign. Furthermore, the event grants Governor DeSantis access to Elon Musk’s extensive fan base, further enhancing his reach and visibility in the political landscape.
