President Donald Trump said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is among the names discussed for attorney general, though he said no decision has been made and praised acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis remains a possible candidate to become attorney general, while emphasizing that the term-limited Republican governor has not asked for the job and that no final decision has been made.
Trump discussed the potential Justice Department appointment during an interview Tuesday with Miranda Devine on the New York Post’s “Pod Force One”, where he said multiple names have been raised as possible replacements for former Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“People thought of different names. There are some good names,” Trump said.
The president did not commit to DeSantis, but he described the Florida governor favorably and said their relationship has improved since the 2024 Republican presidential primary, when DeSantis challenged Trump for the nomination.
“He’s a governor and doing a very good job,” Trump told Devine. “He’s a friend of mine. He just named an airport after me. … They named the Palm Beach International Airport the Donald J. Trump International Airport.”
DeSantis signed legislation in March renaming the airport Trump frequently uses when visiting Mar-a-Lago. The airport designation followed the governor’s efforts to assist with plans for Trump’s presidential library in Miami.
“That’s a great honor,” Trump said of the airport renaming.
Trump said DeSantis has “never talked about wanting the job,” and the governor has also denied that cabinet discussions have taken place, according to Florida Politics.
“No one’s ever asked me to do anything, and I’ve never asked to do anything,” DeSantis was quoted as saying.
The president’s comments mark another sign of a warmer political relationship between Trump and DeSantis after a combative primary fight in which Trump repeatedly attacked the Florida governor, including with the nickname “Ron DeSanctimonious.” Since then, DeSantis has worked with the administration on several priorities, including immigration enforcement and redistricting efforts.
Trump also praised acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who is currently leading the Justice Department and previously served as Trump’s personal attorney.
“I wanted to see how he’s received,” Trump said. “He’s done a very good job.”
The president said the Republican Party has a strong bench of potential cabinet officials and indicated that the selection process remains open.
“There are a lot of great people,” Trump said of possible candidates. “The Republican Party — we have great people.”
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who is running for governor, also raised DeSantis as a possible fit for the Justice Department during an interview last month with conservative talk show host Benny Johnson. Donalds said he believes DeSantis would “make a very good attorney general,” though he also said Blanche is performing well in the role.
“Knowing Gov. DeSantis, he will make sure that he looks through everything with a fine-tooth comb to hold people accountable and I think that’s a spot he could be incredibly well-suited for, but there’s so many different opportunities,” Donalds said.
The comments leave DeSantis among the potential contenders for one of the administration’s highest-profile legal posts, even as Trump continues to signal satisfaction with Blanche and says he has not chosen a permanent attorney general.
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