DeSantis discusses push for taxpayer-funded security after he leaves office, budget vetoes

Gov. Ron DeSantis thanked the Legislature Wednesday for finally drawing up a state budget — the only must-pass piece of legislation of the year — but warned that vetoes are coming.

DeSantis also commented on the Legislature’s refusal to include money in the budget to fund security for him, First Lady Casey DeSantis, and their children for up to one year following his departure from office.

“We’ve seen we’re in an era of some pretty disturbing political violence and it’s kind of going in one direction, by and large, unfortunately,” DeSantis said at a press conference in Tampa Wednesday at which he announced his plans for a special session on property taxes next week in Tallahassee. It will be the third special session this year.

“And so, I think that there’s concern from [the Florida Department of Law Enforcement] what that looks like going forward. But you know they, the Legislature got to do what they got to do. So, you know.”

DeSantis said he didn’t request the funding and that the idea came from the FDLE, an agency he shares oversight of along with members of the Florida Cabinet.

He said he’s had around-the-clock security since getting elected in 2018 and that the proposal to have the taxpayers fund a security detail would not have been as extensive as the protection he and his family receive now.

“I think that they [FDLE] believes that if I’m doing certain types of functions, if I’m speaking, if I’m doing that, that having folks there to be able to assist would be justified based on the types of threats they get. But, you know, the Legislature’s go to do — you know, got to do — what they they got to do. And they can make those judgments accordingly,” DeSantis said.

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The request for the extra security money was first suggested by Senate President Ben Albritton during the first few days of the special session. But, ultimately, the House refused to include it in the nearly $114.5 billion budget for state fiscal year 2026-27.

Meanwhile, DeSantis said the new budget, combined with spending agreements in the back of the budget that re-allocate unused funds from the current budget year, means this year’s General Appropriations Act is about $300 million more than the FY 25-26 budget.

“When I’m done with my veto pen, it will be less than current-year budget. I think that’s a safe assumption,” DeSantis said.

“But just understand what that means,” the governor continued.

“Next fiscal year we will be spending less as a state than the current fiscal year. Current fiscal year we are spending less than they year before, and the year before we spent less than the year before that. How many other places in this country or in the world, for that matter, could actually say that? They’ve reduced spending four years in a row and that’s what we’re going to be able to say for Florida.”