Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is under fire for allegedly staging a debris backdrop during a press event focused on Hurricane Milton recovery efforts.
A video that surfaced online shows workers adding debris to a pile directly behind the podium where DeSantis was scheduled to speak in Treasure Island. It’s unclear whether the governor positioned himself in front of an existing pile or if the debris was just moved for optics.
Nikki Fried, the chair of the Florida Democratic Party, took to X (formerly Twitter) to point out that the governor had been caught “adding debris behind [the] podium” prior to his press conference.
“Ron has no shame—he’s spent weeks accusing others of politicizing this disaster while staging his own press conference,” Fried claimed.
Florida, hit hard by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, has seen rising tensions over the relief efforts, with accusations flying that Republican leaders, including Donald Trump, are politicizing the aftermath.
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Former NBC executive Mike Sington also criticized DeSantis, saying, “Ron DeSantis has a fake storm debris backdrop created for his press briefing. This is the same Ron DeSantis who accused Kamala Harris of politicizing the hurricane.”
Yet, some defended the governor, arguing that post-storm debris is a common sight across affected areas. Christina Pushaw, a political aide who previously worked on DeSantis’ 2024 campaign, countered Fried’s allegations, stating, “Are you claiming that there is NO real debris for him to stand in front of? Those who’ve visited the affected areas know that’s false. Debris is everywhere, and you’re misleading Floridians for political gain.”
Pushaw further explained that the workers were moving debris for easier removal, not staging the scene.
This controversy follows a similar incident where Trump was criticized for allegedly having a brick wall set up for a speech in Valdosta, Georgia, after Hurricane Helene.
Moreover, DeSantis has previously called out Vice President Kamala Harris for politicizing the hurricane recovery, denying he was screening her calls amid claims of political gamesmanship. “I don’t have time for political games,” he told Fox News.
In another political clash, President Joe Biden recently rebuked Trump, labeling him a liar after Trump claimed that federal funding for Hurricane Helene recovery was misallocated to support migrants.