Term-Limited Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Is ‘Begging’ Trump for His Next Gig: Report

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who is term-limited from running for re-election under state law, has been “begging” President Donald Trump to appoint him to a key role in his administration, according to a new report by Axios’ Marc Caputo.

DeSantis’ 2024 presidential campaign infamously ended in an ignominious collapse after his campaign and PAC torched over $130 million only to lose all of Iowa’s 99 counties and drop out before the New Hampshire primary. His tenure in the GOP primary was short-lived, but it was long enough to draw Trump’s ire for daring to challenge him on his path to returning to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue — especially since Trump’s endorsement in the 2018 GOP primary played a big part in DeSantis becoming governor in the first place.

Since then, DeSantis has repeatedly made moves widely viewed as attempts to get back in Trump’s good graces, including pushing for harsher immigration policies (including opening the controversial ICE detention facility in the Everglades known as “Alligator Alcatraz“), signing a bill to rename the Palm Beach airport after Trump, calling a special legislative session for Florida to conduct a mid-decade redistricting, and pushing the Legislature to pass an election bill, a state-level version of the SAVE Act.

The Florida governor will be out of office come January 2027, and has openly discussed taking another swing at the White House. He won the 2018 general election in a nail biter that went to a recount, but coasted to a much easier victory in 2022, thanks in large part to conservative donors and GOP establishment groups that poured money into his campaign coffers to help him run up the score. His challenge now is to find something to keep his name in headlines — and in the hearts and minds of donors wary after his 2024 Iowa debacle — for the year after he exits the governor’s mansion in Tallahassee.

DeSantis previously represented a northeast Florida district in Congress, but going back to being one of 435 congressional members would be viewed as step down from running the country’s third most populous state. Neither Senate seat is up for grabs in time to polish DeSantis’ 2028 résumé either. Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL) is running for re-election this year. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) just won re-election in 2024 and won’t be on the ballot again until 2030 — not to mention Scott’s vast personal wealth that allows him to easily financially bury any challengers.

Trump’s endorsement nod will undoubtedly carry heavy weight in the 2028 GOP presidential primaries, and DeSantis will have to compete with others who have risen in the MAGA ranks, like Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. But according to Caputo’s reporting, DeSantis isn’t just trying to win over Trump’s favor as 2028 looms; he wants a job.

Trump “has told confidants that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is ‘begging’ for a job in Trump’s administration — including attorney general,” wrote Caputo, and “has also expressed interest in being secretary of defense and even a spot on the U.S. Supreme Court, according to six sources briefed on the discussions.”

DeSantis is “looking for what to do next,” a source told Axios, adding that the president was leaning towards helping out DeSantis.

The chatter ratcheted up after several recent Cabinet ousters, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondi, and DeSantis’ name was floated before as a possible Secretary of Defense when it looked like Trump might ditch Pete Hegseth when his nomination hit roadblocks after a series of scandals were reported.

Currently serving as interim Attorney General is Todd Blanche, who was Bondi’s deputy AG. Caputo’s sources included an adviser who said that Blanche “has about 90 days to show what he can do,” meaning Trump expects him to secure indictments against his critics and political opponents.

Caputo noted that Trump and DeSantis had lunch earlier this month at Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami, and the governor’s political future was a topic of discussion.

“Ron was begging me to be AG,” a confidant of Trump quoted the president as saying about their lunch chat.

Several sources expressed skepticism DeSantis would end up at DOJ. One source told Caputo, “There was a conversation at that lunch. I don’t think AG is real. But he’s gonna be looking for work and Trump likes him.”

Yet “another source familiar with the discussions” said that DeSantis “is 100% not interested in the AG job,” but was keen about leading the Pentagon or becoming a Supreme Court justice, calling that DeSantis’ “dream job,” because he and Justice Clarence Thomas “almost have a father-son relationship” and the nomination “would be a hell of a legacy for Trump.”

One Trump adviser commented that there was a “big reason” Trump wouldn’t want DeSantis to be his AG: “There’s a way-too-high chance he would try to f*ck the president over.”

“Trump needs someone at Justice he absolutely trusts,” the adviser added. “But the Defense Department of Supreme Court or something else? Sure.”

Serving as either AG or Defense Secretary and running for president would not be unheard of; even if DeSantis resigned to run it would not be a radical departure from the high turnover in Trump’s Cabinet. Ending up on the Supreme Court, however, would likely slam that door shut, as most justices serve out their lifetime appointments until their death or they voluntarily retire in old age — not resign after barely a year to run for president.

This article has been updated with additional information.

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