Mike Lindell calls DeSantis a ‘Trojan Horse’

My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, an ally of former President Trump, accused Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Thursday of being a “Trojan horse,” calling into question the governor’s conservative credentials.

“The media is covering up for Ron DeSantis,” Lindell asserted while speaking on the convention center floor of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in a video shared online. “He is a Trojan Horse; he is the Trojan Horse. Do not believe anything you’re reading by the media about Ron DeSantis.”

Lindell pointed to DeSantis’s battle with Disney, which ignited after the company pushed back on the state’s Parental Rights in Education law. The law, which became known to critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, limited instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in elementary schools.

“Now I’ll tell you what: Ron DeSantis — and he’s got money behind him — did he do anything for Disney? Remember that was the big thing, you’re gonna go after Disney,” Lindell said. “He did nothing, they got everything they wanted, everything.”

DeSantis has long battled Disney and on Monday signed a bill ending Walt Disney World’s self-governing status and establishing a new state-controlled district, giving the governor more power over the area. The company has maintained control over the Reedy Creek Improvement District since the late 1960s.

Lindell’s criticisms of DeSantis echo those voiced by Trump, who has previously labeled the Florida governor a “RINO,” or Republican in Name Only. The former president has also attacked DeSantis’s COVID-19 response, taking aim at his decision to institute a lockdown and his support for vaccines.

The My Pillow executive has been a staunch backer of Trump and repeatedly pushed false claims about widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

DeSantis has not yet announced a decision on whether he’ll run for president in 2024, but he is viewed as Trump’s biggest competition for the Republican nomination.

The Florida governor is notably absent from this weekend’s CPAC, instead opting for a jam-packed travel schedule to promote his new book and attend several GOP dinners. He is also set to make an appearance at the Club for Growth’s annual donor retreat.

Trump is slated to speak at CPAC on Saturday night, while former South Carolina governor and 2024 presidential candidate Nikki Haley (R) will speak on Friday. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is also mulling a 2024 bid, will also speak at the event.