Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) expressed excitement on Thursday after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) named her as the replacement for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in the U.S. Senate after President-elect Donald Trump nominated Rubio for Secretary of State.
Speaking in Orlando immediately after DeSantis announced that she was his appointment for the seat, Moody said that she only had a few hours to figure out what she was going to say.
She gave DeSantis full credit for everything that Florida has become under his leadership as the state.
&#8220;I will bring the same persistence and passion and tenacity as a United States senator that I have brought as Florida&#8217;s Attorney General,&#8221; she said. &#8220;If you have worked with me and fought with me over the last six years, you know I don&#8217;t think of this as a job, I think of it as a calling. Every day I go to work, every decision that I make, every person I hire, I do so with the understanding that the people of Florida gave me this opportunity, and I want to deliver on what I assured them, and that was we were going to protect their rights.&#8221;
She said that she believes that her highly energetic nature could help change the culture in Washington, D.C.
&#8220;I probably won&#8217;t like it, but I&#8217;m ready to show up and fight for this nation and fight for President Trump to deliver the American first agenda on day one,&#8221; she said. &#8220;What has angered me the most as attorney general, as I have had to fight the Biden administration over the last four years, when we have seen policy after policy after rule, after financial decisions, spending out of these agencies, as the agencies have gotten bigger, as they have taken more power, as they have tried to tell the states what to do more and more and more — all that does is take the will of the people, the want of the people, through their elected representatives in Congress, and turns this into a country we don&#8217;t even recognize anymore.&#8221;
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA.." data-sk="tooltip_parent">CELEBRATE #47 WITH 47% OFF DAILYWIRE+ MEMBERSHIPS + A FREE $20 GIFT</a>
&#8220;And whether it&#8217;s agencies making these decisions when lawmakers should, unelected bureaucrats, or whether it&#8217;s international organizations making decisions that our lawmakers should, we cannot stand for that,&#8221; she added. &#8220;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.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="‘We Will Not Stand For That’: Ashley Moody Gives Fiery Remarks After Being Tapped To Replace Rubio" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BaRH3EiqcQA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

US-NEWS-FLASENATE-MOODY-RECORD-OS

‘We Cannot Stand For That’: Ashley Moody Lays Out Her Agenda In U.S. Senate

Congress

Florida

Marco Rubio

Politics

Ron DeSantis

U.S. Senate

Florida Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> (R) announced on Thursday that he has tapped his chief of staff James Uthmeier to be the state&#8217;s next attorney general.
DeSantis made the remarks after he announced that he had selected Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to replace Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in the U.S. Senate after he was nominated to serve as President-elect Donald Trump&#8217;s Secretary of State.
&#8220;My Chief of Staff, James Uthmeier, is kind of like Ashley. He’s proven himself in these fights,&#8221; DeSantis said in Orlando. &#8220;I think he’s got big shoes to fill, but I think he’ll do a good job doing that.&#8221;
&#8220;So you can anticipate that,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;I’m not going to make any appointment before it’s available, but I think that’s something that will happen.&#8221;
While Uthmeier waits for the appointment to become official — which will happen after Rubio is confirmed by the U.S. Senate — he did release a statement thanking the governor.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl%3D1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA..&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1737044212122000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3mp2MZNwEXBk00lKmCtOss">CELEBRATE #47 WITH 47% OFF DAILYWIRE+ MEMBERSHIPS + A FREE $20 GIFT</a>
&#8220;I’m honored and humbled to be appointed by @GovRonDeSantis as the next Attorney General of the Free State of Florida,&#8221; he wrote on X. &#8220;I’m excited to get to work, build on @AGAshleyMoody’s fine record, help enact the @realDonaldTrump agenda, and defend our people, our constitution, and our Florida way of life!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I’m honored and humbled to be appointed by <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovRonDeSantis</a> as the next Attorney General of the Free State of Florida.
I’m excited to get to work, build on <a href="https://twitter.com/AGAshleyMoody?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGAshleyMoody</a>’s fine record, help enact the <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> agenda, and defend our people, our constitution, and our…
— James Uthmeier (@JamesUthmeierFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesUthmeierFL/status/1879980572925153650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
Jeanette Nuñez, the Lieutenant Governor of Florida, praised the pick, saying that Uthmeier &#8220;will be a fantastic Attorney General.&#8221;
&#8220;Floridians can count on you to protect our state, defend the rule of law, and uphold the Florida Constitution,&#8221; she added.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, holds a press conference to speak

DeSantis Taps His Chief Of Staff To Be Florida’s New Attorney General

General

Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) announced on Thursday that he has chosen Florida Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody to replace Sen. Marco Rubio, the likely incoming Secretary of State, in the U.S. Senate.
Moody, 49, has served as Florida&#8217;s AG under DeSantis since 2019 and has been at the forefront of multiple issues recently. In November, she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/florida-sues-fema-for-conspiring-to-deny-disaster-relief-to-trump-supporters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sued FEMA</a> over its alleged discrimination against Trump supporters during the disaster relief efforts after Hurricane Milton. She also took on special prosecutor Jack Smith &#8220;for his politically motivated persecution of the former president,&#8221; DeSantis said at a press conference in Orlando.
&#8220;In appointing a U.S. senator, I initially put out several different criteria,&#8221; DeSantis said. &#8220;One, I want somebody that&#8217;s going to work with President Trump to deliver on the mandate he earned from the American people. I want a senator that&#8217;s going to be willing to lean in against the excessive spending and cut spending and stop the inflation. I want somebody that understands that the federal bureaucracy is run amok and it must be held to account.&#8221;
&#8220;And we need somebody that understands the fight against illegal immigration, is willing to shut the border, and importantly, make sure any legal immigration to this country is putting Americans first,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We can&#8217;t be bringing foreigners in to displace our own people in key positions.&#8221;
The attorney general vowed to &#8220;bring the same persistence and passion and tenacity as a United States senator as that I have brought as Florida&#8217;s attorney general.&#8221;
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl%3D1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA..&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1737044212122000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3mp2MZNwEXBk00lKmCtOss">CELEBRATE #47 WITH 47% OFF DAILYWIRE+ MEMBERSHIPS + A FREE $20 GIFT</a>
&#8220;Governor, I want you to know I will not let you down, I will not let the citizens of Florida down, and I will not let my country down,&#8221; Moody said at the press conference.
DeSantis said he considered many candidates for the open Senate seat, but after looking at one final criterion, the Florida governor decided to go with Moody.
&#8220;I wanted somebody with a demonstrated record of delivering results on those important issues,&#8221; DeSantis said. &#8220;Talk is cheap. We need people that have demonstrated fidelity to these principles with their actions.&#8221;
Moody won two statewide attorney general elections by large margins. Before she became attorney general, Moody served as a federal prosecutor and was the youngest judge in Florida when she was elected to the Circuit Court in Hillsborough County in 2006. Assuming the Senate confirms Rubio to serve as Trump&#8217;s Secretary of State, Moody will serve in the Senate seat until a special election is held in 2026 when she can decide to run for re-election. Rubio has served in the Senate since 2011, and Republicans have controlled both of Florida&#8217;s Senate seats since 2019.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Governor Ron DeSantis Makes an Announcement in Orlando <a href="https://t.co/7dNbFdoiau">https://t.co/7dNbFdoiau</a>
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1879912849012818245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ashley Moody

DeSantis Taps Florida AG Ashley Moody To Replace Marco Rubio In The Senate

Senate

Two teachers union heads in Florida have been indicted on fraud and conspiracy charges, accused of stealing more than $2 million from union members.
The indictment against Terrie Brady, who was president of Duval Teachers United, and Ruby George, who was executive vice president, was unsealed on Monday.
Brady, 69, and George, 81, could face decades in prison if convicted of the charges, which <a href="https://jaxtoday.org/2025/01/13/teachers-union-fraud-indictment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">include</a> conspiracy to commit wire fraud, eight counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud, and three counts of aiding and abetting mail fraud.
The indictment accuses the two women of cheating the union out of <a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2025/01/13/florida-teachers-union-execs-terrie-brady-ruby-george-indicted/75914930007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more</a> than $1.2 million each between 2013 and 2022, in part by claiming much more unused vacation time than they had. According to the indictment, they tag-teamed on signing each other&#8217;s union checks for fraudulent vacation time payments and additional bonus payments.
Brady was also charged with two counts of money laundering for allegedly using nearly $44,000 of the money to pay personal American Express credit card debt.
Then, the women filed false documentation to a union auditor, the indictment claimed.
The bombshell charges come after agents from the FBI and Internal Revenue Service raided the union&#8217;s headquarters in San Marco in September 2023, sparking confusion and speculation. Agents were spotted carrying computers, bags, and boxes of financial documents out of the building.
Brady and George resigned just weeks later after leading the union for 24 years, saying they wanted to spend more time with their families.
Back in 2023, Brady <a href="https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/governor-ron-desantis-takes-aim-teachers-unions/XEPIGBHODZB7PEWRRJNWN2XYCE/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">complained</a> about Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis trying to impose new financial transparency requirements on the unions.
“We think we’re pretty transparent in the work that we do,” Brady said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Terrie Brady, President of the Duval Teachers United union, put in a rare appearance at the DCPS school board meeting to discuss…not receiving dues for 12 days because of the new Florida law making teacher dues opt in and not mandatory. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MomsForLiberty?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MomsForLiberty</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Florida?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Florida</a> <a href="https://t.co/71OLVS4MSc">pic.twitter.com/71OLVS4MSc</a>
&mdash; Moms For Liberty &#8211; Duval Co., FL (@DuvalMoms) <a href="https://twitter.com/DuvalMoms/status/1686628447953555456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
DeSantis had accused the unions of being too political and promised better pay for teachers and a cap on the salaries of teachers union officials.
“Having partisan groups basically get special privileges for deductions and all these other stuff, you know, that doesn’t work and so, I think this will be a huge, huge boon for transparency and efficiency in our school system,” DeSantis said at the time.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl%3D1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA..&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1737044249231000&amp;usg=AOvVaw15fpgzSqdekU8AKrqgMU6V">CELEBRATE #47 WITH 47% OFF DAILYWIRE+ MEMBERSHIPS + A FREE $20 GIFT</a>
Duval Teachers United represents about 13,000 teachers and other school employees in the Jacksonville area. The local union is affiliated with both the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA).
The union <a href="https://jaxtoday.org/2025/01/13/teachers-union-fraud-indictment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">brings</a> in about $5 million in revenue a year.
In 2022, Brady received a lifetime achievement award for “a long record of excellent leadership” from the Florida Education Association.
She also chaired the Florida Democratic Party in the 1990s.

Money

Teachers Union Heads Indicted For Fraud, Stealing More Than $2M From Union

Teachers Union Heads Indicted For Fraud, Stealing Millions From Union

Crime

DeSantis

Education

Fraud

Public Schools

Teachers Unions

U.S.

Tennessee Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-lee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Lee</a> announced Wednesday that he would convene a special session of the state’s General Assembly to consider public safety and immigration legislation to prepare the state for the incoming Trump administration. 
The announcement did not say what specific immigration legislation would be considered, but noted that “the incoming Trump Administration has called on states to prepare for policy implementation.” The special session will also focus on a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/is-this-the-year-tennessee-wins-on-school-choice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school choice</a> proposal backed by Lee, and Hurricane Helene disaster relief. 
“The Tennessee General Assembly will consider public safety measures related to immigration to ensure the state is prepared for federal policy implementation,” the governor’s office said in a statement. “Last year, Gov. Lee directed key state agencies to begin making preparations and stand ready on Day One of the Trump Administration to support efforts to secure our Nation’s borders and keep communities safe.”
Lee’s call comes after Governor Ron DeSantis said Monday that Florida would have a special session to ready the state to implement Trump&#8217;s planned crackdown on illegal immigration. Following the announcement, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-praises-desantis-for-leading-on-his-agenda-urges-other-governors-to-follow" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> DeSantis, saying that “hopefully other Governors will follow!”
In a joint statement, Lee, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, and House Majority Leader William Lamberth said that they would focus on making sure the state had the resources to aid Trump. 
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*13bkjyl*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU4MTcxLjU3LjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener">CELEBRATE #47 WITH 47% OFF DAILYWIRE+ MEMBERSHIPS + A FREE $20 GIFT</a> 

“Finally, the American people elected President Trump with a mandate to enforce immigration laws and protect our communities, and Tennessee must have the resources ready to support the Administration on Day One,” they said. 
Trump’s plans reportedly include building the border wall, constructing facilities to hold migrants, imposing new asylum restrictions, reimplementing Title 42, and authorizing local law enforcement and state law enforcement to assist ICE.
Tennessee lawmakers will also consider the “Education Freedom Scholarship Act,” which would create 20,000 scholarships of around $7,000 that can be used for tuition at private schools. The legislation was introduced by Johnson in the Senate and Lamberth in the House. 
Lee also asked the legislature to add $240 million in funding to the state’s Disaster Relief Grant fund, create a $110 million Hurricane Helene Interest fund, fund $100 million for Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund, and allocate $20 million to rebuild a Tennessee destroyed by the hurricane.
&#8220;In this special session, we will ensure the state is best positioned to coordinate with federal, state, and local law enforcement to implement the Trump Administration&#8217;s plan to enforce the federal immigration laws on the books,&#8221; said Lee spokeswoman Elizabeth Johnson. &#8220;President Trump has made it clear that states will play a major role in partnering with his Administration to make our communities safer. Tennessee is heeding the call.&#8221;

Border Security Remains Key Issue In Presidential Campaigns

Tennessee To Look At Implementing Trump’s Immigration Agenda In Special Session

Bill Lee

Donald Trump

Illegal Immigration

School Choice

Tennessee

President-elect Donald Trump praised Florida Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> (R) on Tuesday for calling an emergency special session so Florida could getting funding lined up so the state is ready to implement Trump&#8217;s agenda shortly after he takes office.
DeSantis noted in a statement announcing the special session that Trump was elected &#8220;with a mandate to stop illegal immigration and deport illegal aliens already in our country.&#8221;
&#8220;State and local officials in Florida will actively facilitate the Trump Administration’s policies against illegal immigration, and to do that we need to immediately set aside and approve the necessary funding and resources now,&#8221; DeSantis said. &#8220;As part of the special session I called for January 27, the week after President Trump is sworn in, I am calling on the legislature to appropriate funding for detention, relocation, transportation infrastructure, local law enforcement support, and everything else needed for Florida to carry out this mission.&#8221;
Trump responded to the announcement: &#8220;Thank you Ron, hopefully other Governors will follow!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President-elect Trump was elected with a mandate to stop illegal immigration and deport illegal aliens already in our country.
State and local officials in Florida will actively facilitate the Trump Administration’s policies against illegal immigration, and to do that we need to… <a href="https://t.co/PHvNYvjAH6">pic.twitter.com/PHvNYvjAH6</a>
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1878950673766814116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
Trump has promised to act swiftly when he returns to the White House on Monday for what is expected to be a display of &#8220;shock and awe with executive orders,&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/barrasso-trump-to-unleash-shock-and-awe-with-day-1-executive-orders">according to</a> Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY).
Longtime Trump immigration adviser Stephen Miller reportedly told senators on Wednesday night that they plan to use executive power toward fixing the border on the very first day.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/">JOIN THE MOVEMENT IN ’25 WITH 25% OFF DAILYWIRE+ ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS WITH CODE DW25</a>
That includes building the border wall, constructing facilities to hold migrants, imposing new asylum restrictions, and reimplementing Title 42, the COVID-era rule that allows authorities to rapidly remove migrants apprehended at the border. It also includes using part of the Immigration and Nationality Act that allows local law enforcement and state law enforcement to help assist ICE, according to Axios.
He’s expected to begin the process of mass deportations, suspend refugee admissions, end the visa-free parole process for people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (which allowed 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans to enter the United States as of August), and to roll back a memo from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas directing ICE officers to learn “the totality of the facts and circumstances” about illegal immigrant’s criminal convictions before deciding to deport them.
Mary Margaret Olohan contributed to this report.

President-Elect Trump Holds Press Conference At Mar-A-Lago

Trump Praises DeSantis For Leading On His Agenda, Urges Other Governors To Follow

Executive

On Monday, Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis announced he would call a special session of the Florida state legislature starting the week of January 27 so that the state can help the Trump administration enforce the nation’s immigration laws by implementing legislation that would impose additional duties on local officials, hold people accountable who are violating Florida’s anti-sanctuary policies, and eliminate any incentives for illegal immigrants to travel to Florida.
“We have worked very hard over the last four years to overcome a lot of obstacles that the federal government has put in our way across a wide variety of issues as they’ve borrowed and spent and driven costs up higher,” DeSantis began. “We’ve acted to reduce burdens on Floridians. whether it’s tax relief, toll relief, you name it, as they tried to throw roadblocks into education freedom; we worked hard and overcame it.”
He immediately turned to illegal immigration, stating, “And of course, the issue that was maybe the most significant over the last four years, the fight against illegal immigration.”
“When President Trump takes office again on January 20 we are going to see a sea change in policies, particularly with respect to the border and illegal immigration. And this is an issue that has been festering in this country for many, many decades although the first Trump administration was much more successful than others have been,” he declared. “This is the time to get it right once and for all. &#8230; We’ve been working with the transition team; I’ve been speaking with the president. We had the governors down in Mar-a-Lago. There’s going to be some ambitious policy changes that are going to be instituted on day one, particularly with respect to illegal immigration and major, major executive orders that are going to unwind the bad policies of the Biden administration.”
“We are not a state sanctuary state; we banned sanctuary cities my first year as governor,” he noted, “but we have a responsibility to be in this fight. State and local officials in Florida must help the Trump administration enforce our nations’ immigration laws, and we are going to need, in order to do that effectively&#8230; legislation to impose additional duties on local officials and provide funding for those local officials. There also need to be measures to hold people accountable who are violating our anti-sanctuary policies and then Florida needs to make sure that we don’t have any lingering incentives for people to come into our state illegally.”
“Therefore I’m going to call the legislature into special session starting the week of January 27,” he announced. “We have the next president taking office January 20. We anticipate executive orders to be issued immediately after the swearing in, in the inaugural address; we’re gonna have some time to process to make sure we’re doing what we need to do, but then we need to act and we need to act quickly. We don’t have time to waste.”
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">JOIN THE MOVEMENT IN ’25 WITH 25% OFF DAILYWIRE+ ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS WITH CODE DW25</a>
“So it will require new legislation in Florida to ensure that the duties of both state and local officials are very clear and that those duties require them to be assisting the federal government in this regard,” he said. “We’re going to do it because I’m going to order that the state does it. Local, I think you’re going to have some different views on that and we’re not a sanctuary state, we banned sanctuary cities, but you have to have effective accountability to hold those folks accountable if they choose to go in a different direction &#8230; I have a lot of sheriffs out there that are chomping at the bit; they want to be able to help and they just need a little bit of funding so we have responsibility to provide that funding and we’re going to be calling upon the legislature to do that.”
“If you think back to the hurricanes we just had, they had looters in Pinellas county; I think it was like 45 of them that were arrested over a period of time, and I think 40 of them were in this country illegally,” he recalled. “I’m just thinking to myself, how the hell is this happening here on the head of a natural disaster? You’ve got people that come here without authorization and they go out and try to loot the place? Give me a break. Those people need to be sent back immediately.”
“If those duties are clear in law, I have the authority with respect to certain officials to suspend them from their office if they are neglecting their duties,” he asserted. “That is an authority that I have invoked when it’s been appropriate in the past. We also need to make sure that we don’t have incentives for people to come illegally&#8230;  We really did probably the strongest legislation in the country in 2023, so I think Florida has really done a great job — with one lingering exception.&#8221;
&#8220;Back in 2014 the legislature enacted and the then-Governor signed legislation providing preferential tuition for illegal immigrants, in-state tuition. &#8230; You were rewarding somebody for being here illegally; that in-state tuition has been on the books now for over a decade. We’ve tried to work with the legislature to get that repealed in the past. It’s something that always seems to fall out of the bill. No more excuses on this.&#8221;
“We need to remove all incentive to come to the state of Florida illegally, and that is one of them,” he concluded.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4iCW1EF0mNw?si=dH4ZDQAEcqLYaE_B" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

DeSantis Orders Special Session To Enact Trump Agenda Immediately

Former Republican National Committee (RNC) co-chair <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lara-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lara Trump</a> said in a statement on Saturday night that she has decided to withdraw her name from consideration for replacing Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in the U.S. Senate after President-elect Donald Trump tapped Rubio to serve as his next Secretary of State.
“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 said in a statement posted to X.
“I could not have been more honored to serve as RNC co-chair during the most high-stakes election of our lifetime and I’m truly humbled by the unbelievable support shown to me by the people of our country, and here in the great state of Florida,” she continued. “I have read so many of your kind messages and I cannot thank you enough.”
Lara Trump said that she had a “big announcement” planned that she will share with the public next month. It was unclear if the announcement was connected to the new incoming Trump administration.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a>
“I remain incredibly passionate about public service and look forward to serving our country again sometime in the future,” she said. “In the meantime, I wish Governor DeSantis the best of luck with this appointment.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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.
I could not have been more honored to serve as RNC co-chair during the most high-stakes election of our… <a href="https://t.co/ARdvTQki9N">https://t.co/ARdvTQki9N</a>
— Lara Trump (@LaraLeaTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/LaraLeaTrump/status/1870600689287901423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump was asked last week if he thought that DeSantis would pick Lara Trump for the role, to which he responded, “No, I don’t.”
“Ron’s doing a good job, that’s his choice — nothing to do with me” Trump said.

US-VOTE-POLITICS-TRUMP

Lara Trump Bows Out From Consideration For U.S. Senate Seat

Lara Trump

The state of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a> has charged the man suspected of plotting to assassinate President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> at his West Palm Beach golf course with attempted murder over a car crash that occurred as he was apprehended by law enforcement. 
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said Wednesday that Ryan Routh was being charged with attempted murder over an car accident that occurred on Interstate 95 as he tried to evade law enforcement after he was spotted with a firearm near Trump&#8217;s golf course, allegedly with the intent of killing the then-presidential candidate. Law enforcement said Routh fled after being confronted by a Secret Service agent he shot at him. The interstate had been closed during the pursuit, and a 6-year-old girl was severely injured in the crash. Moody said Routh was at fault.
“When Routh fled the scene and drove north into Martin County, it foreseeably caused law enforcement to shut down Interstate 95 to preserve the life and safety of others,” the <a href="https://www.myfloridalegal.com/sites/default/files/2024-12/arrest-affidavit_redacted-final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">affidavit</a> says. “Routh&#8217;s actions were the cause of a horrific car crash that severely injured the minor child, Routh’s intentional act of escaping the scene of his attempted act of terrorism could have easily resulted in the death of [the child], but fortunately did not.”
The affidavit revealed that the young child was still in the hospital due to the life-threatening injuries she received when the vehicle she was in was rear-ended. 
 “Despite the federal government frustrating our efforts, which we continue to challenge in court, we found that Mr. Routh’s actions caused catastrophic injuries to a six-year-old girl,” Moody said. “My heart breaks for the child and her family, and while we continue to seek justice for President Trump, we will fight just as hard to ensure Mr. Routh pays for the tragedy his criminal actions brought on this Florida family.”
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1734465856887000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0yoXh27k1XJufgc_qcfvEq">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a>
The charges were brought as part of Florida’s investigation into the attempt on Trump’s life in Florida. Moody and Governor Ron DeSantis (R) have accused federal authorities of impeding their investigation. 
 “The federal government has stonewalled Florida’s investigation of the Trump assassination attempt at every turn, and I appreciate Attorney General Ashley Moody and her team for plowing forward despite such resistance,” DeSantis said Wednesday. “The tide will turn on January 20th and we fully expect that the federal roadblocks will be removed. The would-be assassin needs to face the full force of justice, and the people deserve the truth about the defendant’s history, motivations and plan.”
The trial for Routh is slated to begin in February, and he has pled not guilty to the charges of attempting to kill Trump.

Police shares footage of suspect in apparent assassination attempt on Trump caught in Florida

Florida Hits Ryan Routh With Attempted Murder Charge After Alleged Trump Assassination Plot

assassination attempt

Law Enforcement

Secret Service

President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> will reportedly be joined by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at the annual Army-Navy football game next weekend amid reports that Trump would consider his former campaign rival for Secretary of Defense if his current nominee Pete Hegseth can&#8217;t win confirmation in the Senate.
Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin posted on X: &#8220;Florida Governor @RonDeSantis will attend the Army-Navy football game with President Elect @realDonaldTrump next Saturday, per source familiar with DeSantis’ schedule.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Florida Governor <a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RonDeSantis</a> will attend the Army-Navy football game with President Elect <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> next Saturday, per source familiar with DeSantis’ schedule.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillMelugin_/status/1865025137407365400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
The 125th game in the series takes place on Saturday, December 14th, in Landover, Maryland.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/04/us/politics/hegseth-trump-defense.html">reported</a> that Trump was having conversations about replacing Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth with DeSantis as Hegseth continues to face intense scrutiny over allegations of sexual misconduct and other forms of misconduct, which Hegseth denies.
Trump, however, maintains that he is committed to Hegseth. On Friday he posted a message of support for Hegseth on Truth Social, writing: &#8220;Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe. He was a great student &#8211; Princeton/Harvard educated &#8211; with a Military state of mind. He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!&#8221;
The Times reported that Trump liked the idea of giving DeSantis the job because it would be a &#8220;big story&#8221; if he &#8220;resurrected DeSantis after defeating him.&#8221; Trump is also reportedly impressed with the executive competence that DeSantis has shown governing the state of Florida.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a>
Hegseth has continued to fight to save his nomination by meeting with U.S. Senators and doing media interviews where he has owned up to past behavior in his personal life, as some <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5025283-hegseth-defense-nomination-doomed/">reports</a> have indicated up to 8 Republican Senators do not support his nomination. Vice President-elect JD Vance said on Friday that the incoming administration is committed to sending Hegseth&#8217;s nomination to the Senate and forcing the issue in the legislature.
&#8220;Pete Hegseth is going to get his hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, not a sham hearing before the American media,&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;We&#8217;re not abandoning this nomination.&#8221;

Donald Trump Holds A “Welcome Home” Rally In South Florida

DeSantis To Join Trump At Army-Navy Football Game Amid Cabinet Speculation: Report

Pete Hegseth

President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> is considering Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) to lead the Department of Defense amid concern over the ability of current nominee, Pete Hegseth, to be confirmed, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Wall Street Journal first <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/trump-mulls-replacing-pete-hegseth-with-florida-gov-ron-desantis-8f682ad2?st=mZwu8H" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Trump was considering nominating DeSantis for Secretary of Defense as there appears to be a growing number of Republican senators who have <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trumps-pick-defense-secretary-pete-hegseth-peril-senate-republicans-rcna182738" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expressed</a> concern over whether Hegseth would clear confirmation hurdles.
CBS News confirmed that multiple sources familiar with the Trump transition team said that DeSantis was now under consideration for the role.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Two sources familiar with the transition tell <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cbsnews</a>’ <a href="https://twitter.com/aaronlarnavarro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aaronlarnavarro</a> and me that President-elect Trump is considering naming Florida <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovRonDeSantis</a> as his pick for Defense Secretary. He would replace embattled Fox News host Pete Hegseth. Hegseth has faced allegations of…
— Ed O&#8217;Keefe (@edokeefe) <a href="https://twitter.com/edokeefe/status/1864156067720253702?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) were also being considered in addition to DeSantis, according to CNN.
Trump and DeSantis attended a Memorial Service together on Tuesday for Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office Motor Deputies who died in the line of duty.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Trump, Eric Trump, and Governor DeSantis attend the Memorial Service of the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office Motor Deputies who died in the line of duty. 🙏🏼🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/aPJbgOcB95">pic.twitter.com/aPJbgOcB95</a>
— Margo Martin (@margomartin) <a href="https://twitter.com/margomartin/status/1863984740639867274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
Reporter Marc Caputo said that Trump and DeSantis first discussed the Florida governor becoming the Secretary of Defense in June.
Trump and DeSantis, the two most popular politicians in the Republican Party, battled it out during the Republican Party primary with Trump easily coming out on top and DeSantis dropping out after the first contest in Iowa. Trump went on to steamroll the others who remained in the race.
When he dropped out, DeSantis gave an enthusiastic endorsement of Trump and the Trump campaign responded by saying that they were &#8220;honored&#8221; to receive DeSantis&#8217; endorsement.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Notable flashback in light of WSJ story: When DeSantis dropped out ahead of New Hampshire, he immediately endorsed Trump. How did Trump campaign react? “We’re honored.” <a href="https://t.co/t5MenJHSG2">pic.twitter.com/t5MenJHSG2</a>
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/PhilipWegmann/status/1864146734416339321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2024</a></blockquote>

Ron DeSantis Holds His Caucus Night Event In Iowa

Trump Reportedly Considering Ron DeSantis For Secretary Of Defense

Department of Defense

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a> Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> announced on Monday that vetting is underway to find a replacement for Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/marco-rubio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marco Rubio</a> (R-FL), who has been picked to become President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a>&#8216;s secretary of state, with a goal to appoint this replacement by early next year.
In a <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1858539688581066820" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> to X, DeSantis said Rubio is &#8220;expected&#8221; to resign from the Senate when Trump&#8217;s second term begins on January 20, which he noted would create a vacancy two months from now. The governor then shared details on what is being done to find Rubio&#8217;s successor, who would keep the seat <a href="https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2024/11/13/ron-desantis-replacement-marco-rubio-donald-trump-senate-florida/76265330007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">until 2026</a>, when a special election would be held for the final two years of the senator&#8217;s term.
&#8220;We have already received strong interest from several possible candidates, and we continue to gather names of additional candidates and conduct preliminary vetting,&#8221; DeSantis said. &#8220;More extensive vetting and candidate interviews will be conducted over the next few weeks, with a selection likely made by the beginning of January.&#8221;
He added: &#8220;Florida deserves a Senator who will help President Trump deliver on his election mandate, be strong on immigration and border security, take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state, reverse the nation’s fiscal decline, be animated by conservative principles, and has a proven record of results.&#8221;
President-elect Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-officially-taps-rubio-for-secretary-of-state" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> last week that he would nominate Rubio, a GOP rival from the 2016 presidential race who came around to support Trump, for the secretary of state position. Normally, a candidate for such a position would have to pass through a Senate confirmation process, but Trump has indicated that he wants to use <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-is-how-recess-appointments-work-and-how-they-could-help-trump-fill-his-cabinet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recess appointments</a> to install his Cabinet members.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
&#8220;Leading the U.S. Department of State is a tremendous responsibility and I am honored by the trust President Trump has placed in me,&#8221; Rubio <a href="https://x.com/marcorubio/status/1856790684981698934" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X. &#8220;As Secretary of State, I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda. Under the leadership of President Trump we will deliver peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else.  I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the U.S. Senate so the President has his national security and foreign policy team in place when he takes office on January 20.&#8221;
Other politicians Trump has so far chosen to join his administration who hail from Florida include <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/matt-gaetz-resigns-from-congress-following-attorney-general-nomination" target="_blank" rel="noopener">now-former</a> Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-nominates-matt-gaetz-for-attorney-general" target="_blank" rel="noopener">for attorney general</a> and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-taps-mike-waltz-as-national-security-advisor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">for national security adviser</a>.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

DeSantis Says Vetting Is Underway To Find Rubio Successor

Menu