Key Takeaways
- • Ken Griffin, founder of Citadel and Citadel Securities, publicly criticized Ron DeSantis's dispute with Walt Disney Co. as "pointless" and damaging to Florida's business reputation, calling it counter to efforts to attract corporate investment.
- • DeSantis's feud with Disney—which employs approximately 70,000 people in Florida—originated from the company's public opposition to Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill restricting classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation, escalating into a broader political and legal conflict.
- • Griffin, who relocated his hedge fund operations from Chicago to Florida, signaled earlier support for DeSantis as a presidential candidate but remains undecided on campaign contributions, stating he is "on the sidelines" regarding whom to back in the 2024 Republican primary.
- • DeSantis's presidential campaign faces funding pressure as a distant second to Donald Trump in Republican primary polling, having failed to secure backing from several major GOP donors including Griffin, who has not committed to either Trump or DeSantis.
- • Griffin expressed preference for a "younger" Republican primary candidate "with a different tone for America," indicating dissatisfaction with current options despite his earlier openness to DeSantis as a viable presidential contender.
Summary
Billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin has publicly rebuked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over his ongoing battle with Walt Disney Co., describing the dispute as strategically counterproductive to the state's economic positioning. In a CNBC interview scheduled for late Monday, Griffin stated that the Disney feud "doesn't reflect well on the ethos of Florida" and runs counter to efforts to market the state as business-friendly. Griffin, who relocated Citadel and Citadel Securities from Chicago to Florida, emphasized that DeSantis should be messaging to the nation that "Florida is open to companies that want to create jobs."
The DeSantis-Disney conflict originated in 2022 when Disney publicly opposed what critics term Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, legislation restricting classroom teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation. The dispute has since evolved into a sustained political and legal confrontation between the governor and the entertainment conglomerate, which operates as a major employer in the state with approximately 70,000 workers. DeSantis responded to Disney's opposition by threatening to revoke the company's special tax and governance status under Florida law, escalating the conflict significantly.
Griffin's criticism carries particular weight given his status as a major Republican donor and his earlier signal of support for DeSantis's presidential ambitions. In a Bloomberg interview earlier this year, Griffin stated he would welcome DeSantis's entry into the 2024 presidential race. However, Griffin has since declined to commit financial support to either DeSantis or Trump, telling CNBC he remains "on the sidelines as to who to support in this election cycle." His public criticism comes as DeSantis's campaign struggles to gain traction in Republican primary polling, where he trails significantly behind Donald Trump while competing for donor support.
Griffin articulated dissatisfaction with the current slate of Republican candidates, stating his preference for "a great Republican candidate in the primary who was younger, of a different generation, with a different tone for America." This positioning suggests Griffin's reluctance to back either Trump or DeSantis reflects broader concerns about the direction and tone of Republican politics, rather than ideological disagreement on specific policy matters.
The DeSantis-Disney conflict originated in 2022 when Disney publicly opposed what critics term Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, legislation restricting classroom teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation. The dispute has since evolved into a sustained political and legal confrontation between the governor and the entertainment conglomerate, which operates as a major employer in the state with approximately 70,000 workers. DeSantis responded to Disney's opposition by threatening to revoke the company's special tax and governance status under Florida law, escalating the conflict significantly.
Griffin's criticism carries particular weight given his status as a major Republican donor and his earlier signal of support for DeSantis's presidential ambitions. In a Bloomberg interview earlier this year, Griffin stated he would welcome DeSantis's entry into the 2024 presidential race. However, Griffin has since declined to commit financial support to either DeSantis or Trump, telling CNBC he remains "on the sidelines as to who to support in this election cycle." His public criticism comes as DeSantis's campaign struggles to gain traction in Republican primary polling, where he trails significantly behind Donald Trump while competing for donor support.
Griffin articulated dissatisfaction with the current slate of Republican candidates, stating his preference for "a great Republican candidate in the primary who was younger, of a different generation, with a different tone for America." This positioning suggests Griffin's reluctance to back either Trump or DeSantis reflects broader concerns about the direction and tone of Republican politics, rather than ideological disagreement on specific policy matters.
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