Ron DeSantis set to announce 2024 run on Twitter with Elon Musk

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida is planning to announce the start of his 2024 presidential campaign Wednesday in a live audio conversation on Twitter with Elon Musk, the platform's polarizing owner, according to people with knowledge of his plans.

DeSantis' entry into the Republican primary race against former President Donald Trump has been widely expected, but the decision to do so with Musk adds a surprising element and gives DeSantis access to a large audience online. NBC News first reported the plans.

The event on Twitter Spaces, which is planned for 6 p.m. Eastern, injects a level of risk into a rollout that is expected to be carefully scripted and ensures that DeSantis' first impression as a presidential candidate will be aligning himself with Musk, an eccentric businessman who has ranked at times as the world's richest man.


One challenge for DeSantis as he enters the 2024 race will be competing for attention with Trump, who for decades has shown a knack for commandeering the limelight. Trump's aides have signaled for months that he plans to return to Twitter sooner rather than later. Musk already lifted the ban on the former president that was imposed when Twitter was a public company.

In addition to his Twitter event, DeSantis is expected to appear on Wednesday evening on Fox News in an interview with Trey Gowdy, a former congressman from South Carolina, according to the network. The governor has also gathered donors on Wednesday at the Four Seasons in Miami to begin raising money for his campaign.

A super PAC backing Trump mocked the plans.

"This is one of the most out-of-touch campaign launches in modern history," said Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Make America Great Again, the pro-Trump group. "The only thing less relatable than a niche campaign launch on Twitter, is DeSantis's after party at the uber-elite Four Seasons resort in Miami."

Musk said at an event with The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that he was not formally throwing his support behind DeSantis, or any other Republican. On Monday, he retweeted a video of the presidential kickoff event for Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, another Republican contender.

The DeSantis event with Musk will be moderated by David Sacks, a Republican donor who is a supporter of the governor and is close to Musk.