Trump Hating GOP Governor Regrets His Actions

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is now facing fierce resistance from his own party as state Republicans move to aggressively cut spending, challenging the administration in a way rarely seen before. The battle over the budget has exposed deep fractures within Florida’s GOP-led Legislature, tensions that have only escalated after DeSantis defied Trump politically. Now, after distancing himself from the former president, DeSantis is facing the wrath of a party that remains firmly aligned with Trump.

During the opening day of the legislative session, state House Speaker Daniel Perez made it clear that lawmakers were prepared to scrutinize government spending. “We are the guardians of the taxpayer,” Perez declared, calling on legislators to review state finances more closely. This position directly contradicts DeSantis’ claims that Florida has kept spending in check. While the governor used his veto power last year to maintain a relatively stable budget, lawmakers are signaling they are no longer willing to accept his assurances at face value.

The rift has triggered a return to an era of legislative oversight that hasn’t been seen in years, particularly within a Republican-controlled state government. While DeSantis officials have previously faced tough questioning from Democrats, it is unusual to see Republican legislators publicly challenge the governor’s top appointees. The governor’s office has so far declined to comment on the Legislature’s actions.

Perez’s office, however, made it clear that the spending review is moving forward. A spokesperson for the House Speaker, Amelia Angleton, stated that he wants budget subcommittees to ensure taxpayers are receiving full value for their money and has encouraged committee leaders to find savings and improve government efficiency.

This new approach was evident Tuesday when a state House budget panel grilled a Department of Management Services (DMS) official over questionable spending practices. Lawmakers questioned why the agency allowed four high-ranking employees, including Florida’s chief data officer—who earns over $200,000 annually—to live outside the state, resulting in nearly $60,000 in travel expenses, much of it for trips to Tallahassee.

The scrutiny didn’t stop there. The House State Administration Budget Subcommittee also raised concerns over Florida Lottery Secretary John Davis’ international travel, specifically a trip to Paris last year for a lottery convention. The committee previously reviewed an audit of DMS, which suggested the state doesn’t even have an accurate count of how many vehicles it owns.

Meanwhile, the House Government Operations Subcommittee advanced a bill (HB 1445) that would bar state agency heads from living outside their agency’s home county. This measure would directly impact several top DeSantis appointees, including state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, who openly admitted last week that he resides in Pinellas County rather than in Tallahassee, where his office is based.

Republican lawmakers are making it clear that they no longer intend to give DeSantis a pass on spending decisions. Rep. Griff Griffits, a Republican from Panama City Beach, criticized the practice of paying for top officials to commute from outside the state capital. “I don’t think we ought to be paying somebody travel expenses to fly down here once every two weeks to put out the fires he could have put out two weeks ago had he been in the office,” he said.

For DeSantis, the timing of this revolt is particularly damaging. His fallout with Trump and the MAGA base has left him politically vulnerable, and now he is dealing with an increasingly rebellious Legislature. What was once a loyal Republican stronghold is turning into a battleground, with DeSantis caught in the middle. Whether he can regain control or whether his own party will continue to undermine his authority remains to be seen, but for now, the governor is facing a political reckoning.