The super PAC supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president in 2024 hit back at former U.N. Secretary Nikki Haley Wednesday following what appeared to be a veiled jab over his aggressive approach to Disney’s “woke” antics in the state.
In a video posted on social media, Never Back Down responded to Haley’s appearance on Fox News’ “America Reports” earlier in the day, in which she invited Disney to move its operations to South Carolina, the state where she was once governor, from Florida. She said even though her state is “anti-woke,” she would welcome the six-figure number of jobs the company would bring with it.
The video included what it said were clips of Disney “officials” touting the company’s use of “LGBTQIA characters,” a “not at all secret gay agenda,” and trans, asexual and bisexual characters, and attempted to tie Haley to that highly scrutinized side of the company.
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“I was just, wherever I could, just basically adding queerness,” one individual in the video said, while another appeared to tout giving “information about gender affirmation procedures.”
Some of the individuals in the video said they were trying to put things they believe into Disney’s shows, as well as target Gen Z and Millennials. It also included a clip of a drag queen discussing Disney-inspired books.
The video then ended with a clip from Haley’s Fox interview saying she would “welcome” Disney to South Carolina.
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Haley’s comments came on the heel of a lawsuit filed by Disney against DeSantis on Wedensday, claiming “government retaliation” as he has clashed with the company over its alleged “woke” politicking and response to the state’s Parental Rights in Education law critics dubbed “Don’t Say Gay.”
The lawsuit came about a week after DeSantis said Florida’s Republican legislature would act to stop Disney’s current apparent effort to work around its oversight of its Lake Buena Vista, Fla. property.
Haley was ripped by conservatives on social media over her comments about welcoming Disney to South Carolina, with once calling it “bad optics,” and another claiming the remark to be the “only way” voters “know she exists.”
According to a Wednesday NBC News report, DeSantis is expected to launch a 2024 presidential exploratory committee next month with an official campaign launch to come later.
Fox News’ Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
