Ron DeSantis: Florida Governor to announce White House run

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis will announce his intention to run for the US presidency on Wednesday, multiple news agencies reported on Tuesday.

DeSantis is due to speak with Elon Musk during a Twitter Spaces event on Wednesday, where he will reveal his White House ambitions. 

What Elon Musk said about Ron DeSantis

"I will be interviewing Ron DeSantis and he has quite an announcement to make," Twitter owner Musk said at a conference on Tuesday. "It will be the very first time that something like this is happening on social media and with real time questions and answers, not scripted. So it's going to be live. Let it rip." 

"I'm not at this time planning to endorse any particular candidate," Musk continued. "But I am interested in Twitter being somewhat of a town square."

Musk then retweeted a Fox News journalist who said that DeSantis was going announce his intention to run for president during a Twitter Spaces with the SpaceX founder. 

Who is Ron DeSantis?

DeSantis, a conservative who has waged cultural war battles in Florida against Disney and drag shows, may pose a threat to Donald Trump in the Republican primary race. 

The two men were allies during Trump's four-year stint in the White House. Indeed, Trump endorsed him during the now 44-year-old's first campaign for governor.

DeSantis has since forged his own political identity and may appeal as a younger alternative to the 76-year-old former president.

Trump appears in court via video link

Meanwhile, Trump on Tuesday made a video appearance in a New York courtroom, where the judge scheduled a criminal trial for him for March 2024.

The date comes in the midst of the primary season.

Trump pleaded not guilty last month to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records at his family company.

jsi, rm/wd (AFP, AP, Reuters)