Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is being positioned as a main opponent to former US President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, will visit Israel next month, media outlets reported citing the governor’s office. Officially, DeSantis will join a state trade delegation on a mission to Israel, but many Republicans set to start a presidential bid visit Israel in an effort to curry favor with certain voters and to raise their profile. DeSantis also will speak on April 27 at an event titled “Celebrate the Faces of Israel” sponsored by The Jerusalem Post and the Museum of Tolerance, which is expected to be attended by dozens of US Jewish philanthropists. The event “aims to tackle ever-present tensions in the country, teach about its history, and introduce the audience to the change-makers who embrace tolerance and acceptance,” according to the Post.
“At a time of unnecessarily strained relations between Jerusalem and Washington, Florida serves as a bridge between the American and Israeli people,” DeSantis said press release announcing his visit.
DeSantis previously visited Israel as the head of a Florida trade delegation in 2019. The Florida legislature will conclude its current session in May, at which time DeSantis is expected to announce his candidacy for US president.