Ron DeSantis Goes to War With America’s Biggest TV Network

(UnitedVoice.com) – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) is battling anyone who he believes is standing in the way of his agenda. The Republican has made no secret that he won’t play the games that previous governors played with the press or Democrats. Most recently, he’s reportedly gone to war with the country’s biggest television network.

DeSantis has decided to no longer appear on NBC News or MSNBC. Now, his administration officials are also reportedly ignoring the network, refusing to answer questions from reporters when they reach out. In February, the Huffington Post reported the governor’s decision to shun the network was the result of an interview between host Andrea Mitchell and Vice President Kamala Harris.

During the interview, Mitchell said the DeSantis doesn’t want “slavery or the aftermath of slavery” taught to school kids in Florida. She later clarified her statement, saying that he is opposed to the AP African-American studies program. In a Twitter statement, the governor’s press secretary, Bryan Griffin, said the governor would not speak to anyone from NBC Universal or its affiliated networks until Mitchell corrects her lie.

To all of the bookers and producers reaching out to our office from @NBCNews and @MSNBC for @GovRonDeSantis to join your shows, this will be the standard response from our office until @mitchellreports apologizes and your track record improves. pic.twitter.com/8kQcLLEVzW

— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) February 22, 2023

In the weeks since, the administration has stopped responding to the network at all. DeSantis’ deputy press secretary, Jeremy Redfern, released a statement to Newsweek saying there won’t be any cooperation with NBC until the media company “display[s] a consistent track of truthful reporting.”

DeSantis has not appeared on any NBC channel in six years. The governor isn’t the first politician to pick and choose what networks he will appear on. Former President Donald Trump regularly spoke out against CNN. Former President Barack Obama had refused to appear on Fox News for two years when he was serving in the US Senate. He only went back to the network when he started running for president in 2008.

NBC Universal has given no indication it intends to force Mitchell to apologize.