Gov. Ron DeSantis To Speak At Republican National Convention, Previously Was Not Invited

After previously not being invited to the Republican National Convention, where Trump is set to be formally nominated as the Republican presidential nominee, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been asked to give a speech at the convention.

A source from NBC News reported “I will confirm a change in schedule that means he (DeSantis) will now be speaking.”

It has not been confirmed what night of the convention DeSantis is set to speak.

A spokesperson for the DeSantis office claimed, “We have been told for a while we had a speaking slot and have never been told we do not.”

🚨JUST IN: Ron DeSantis to speak at the RNC Convention. pic.twitter.com/aW3DK8OZUx

— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) July 10, 2024

DESANTIS TO SPEAK AT RNC: Ron DeSantis will get Republican National Convention speaking slot after ‘change in schedule’ https://t.co/wcNSZYUwPj pic.twitter.com/95tI0vh0bp

— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) July 10, 2024

Here’s what NBC News reported:

After initially being given no role at next week’s Republican National Convention, Ron DeSantis — the Florida governor and past rival of former President Donald Trump — has now been added to the speaking schedule.

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“I will confirm a change in schedule that means he will now be speaking,” a source familiar with the decision who is helping plan convention activities told NBC News.

The source would not confirm which night of the convention DeSantis would speak. CNN first reported Tuesday that DeSantis would not have a speaking role.

A source close to DeSantis said they had never been told they would not be speaking at the convention.

“We have been told for a while we had a speaking slot and have never been told we do not,” the source said.

NEW: Ron Desantis will speak at the RNC pic.twitter.com/9eLeUYXULv

— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) July 10, 2024

Per WFLA:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is now planning to address former President Donald Trump’s nominating convention next week, an apparent reversal from just one day earlier when he was expected not to give a speech.

DeSantis’ speaking role at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee was confirmed Wednesday by a person familiar with the schedule who spoke on condition of anonymity because the schedule has not yet been released.

Once allies turned rivals during this year’s Republican primary, Trump and DeSantis have tried to achieve a détente that benefits both of them. But there are lingering tensions between their camps — and long memories in Trump’s orbit about the hazards of elevating a former primary opponent to the convention stage.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who ran against Trump in a similarly bitter GOP race eight years ago, famously gave a speech at the 2016 Republican convention in which he declined to endorse Trump by name and instead told voters to follow their consciences. Cruz exited the stage to a chorus of boos.

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