Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Joins US Presidential Race, Promises to Protect Bitcoin

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During a virtual discussion with Twitter’s proprietor Elon Musk on Wednesday, governor Ron DeSantis of Florida declared that he is throwing his hat into the ring for the presidency of the United States in 2024. DeSantis will confront the reigning president Joe Biden in addition to the existing presidential candidates: Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy.

DeSantis Reveals Presidential Aspirations

Florida’s incumbent Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, has set his sights on the presidency, announcing his candidacy for the next U.S. election. Challenging the current Democratic leader, Joe Biden, DeSantis revealed his political ambitions during a Twitter Spaces event alongside Elon Musk. Taking to Twitter, DeSantis further emphasized his intentions, declaring, “I’m running for president to lead our great American comeback.” The Florida governor also shared a video that says:

Our border is a disaster. Crime infests our cities. The federal government makes it harder for families to make ends meet. And the president flounders.

Unsurprisingly, DeSantis’ decision to unveil his presidential aspirations alongside Elon Musk on Twitter Spaces drew its fair share of criticism. To make matters worse, technical hiccups and sudden livestream disruptions plagued the event, rendering parts of the announcement nearly unbearable to endure. Addressing Musk, the determined candidate asserted, “American decline is not inevitable, it is a choice, we should choose a new direction — a path that will lead to American revitalization.”

The Republican’s Twitter event with Musk follows the footsteps of Democratic contender Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Republican hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, both announcing their acceptance of bitcoin (BTC) for campaign contributions. While DeSantis currently does not accept bitcoin, he has expressed positive sentiments toward the technology, setting him apart from Biden and Trump. In fact, he has voiced his support for implementing a Florida-based system that harnesses the potential of cryptocurrency assets for paying state fees on two separate occasions.

The conversation which @elonmusk@DavidSacks@GovRonDeSantis and now @DrJBhattacharya are having is officially ending the days of corporate press. It’s been coming for a long time but this is the moment.

We don’t need them anymore. The new trail is being blazed…

— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) May 24, 2023

At the end of December 2021, DeSantis introduced his “Freedom First Budget,” outlining plans to establish a dedicated department in Florida for handling state fees using cryptocurrency assets. By March 2022, DeSantis provided an update, expressing his team’s efforts in exploring avenues to enable businesses to settle their tax obligations with bitcoin (BTC). At that time, DeSantis asserted:

There’s a difference between a decentralized digital cryptocurrency like bitcoin and what some are talking about doing at the federal level to convert U.S. dollars into basically a digital currency.

Another Four Years of Biden Could End up Killing Bitcoin, Says DeSantis

In addition to his comments about bitcoin, the governor of Florida has taken a bold stance by prohibiting the use of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) within the state. Defending this decision, DeSantis highlighted the potential risks associated with CBDCs, emphasizing concerns about invasions of privacy and centralized control over individuals’ financial transactions. The legislation enacting Florida’s CBDC ban is set to go into effect on July 1, 2023, as outlined in the legislation’s summary. During the Twitter Spaces conversation, DeSantis said that he would fight against a CBDC on the national level if he was president.

Wow! @RonDeSantis : "You have every right to do #Bitcoin, the only reason bureaucrats in DC don't like Bitcoin is that they can't control it. As President we'll protect your right to use #Bitcoin."

— Pierre Rochard (@BitcoinPierre) May 24, 2023

DeSantis promised to protect people’s rights to use bitcoin (BTC) and he believes another four years of Biden will hurt the leading crypto asset. “Bitcoin represents a threat to them,” DeSantis said. “They’re trying to regulate it out of existence. The current regime they have it out for bitcoin. And if it continues for another four years, they’ll probably end up killing it.” The politician from Florida continued by asserting that America was veering off course and heading down a misguided path.

“We know our country’s going in the wrong direction. We see it with our own eyes. And we feel it in our bones. Our president, while he lacks vigor, flounders in the face of our nation’s challenges and he takes his cues from the woke mob,” DeSantis said during the Twitter Spaces event.

What are your thoughts on governor Ron DeSantis’ entry into the U.S. presidential race? Share your opinions and insights in the comments section below.