Nov 6, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Ken Griffin, GOP megadonor, throws support behind DeSantis for 2024

Jacob Knutson

Ken Griffin, founder and CEO Citadel, speaking in Beverly Hills, California, in May 2022. Photo: Patrick Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Ken Griffin, the founder and CEO of hedge fund Citadel, told Politico in an interview published Sunday he would back Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) if he decides to run for president in 2024.

Why it matters: Griffin is a Republican megadonor, and his endorsement of a potential DeSantis bid is a snub toward former President Trump, who is expected to announce the launch of a 2024 presidential campaign on Nov. 14.

Griffin, who has given Republican candidates and campaigns over $57 million in the lead up to the 2022 midterms, previously ruled out supporting Trump for another presidential bid.

What they're saying: "I don’t know what he’s going to do. It’s a huge personal decision,” Griffin told Politico of DeSantis.

"He has a tremendous record as governor of Florida, and our country would be well-served by him as president," Griffin added.
"He did a lot of things really well and missed the mark on some important areas," Griffin said of Trump. "And for a litany of reasons, I think it’s time to move on to the next generation."

The big picture: DeSantis has not publicly announced his intentions for the 2024 election, but he has also refused to answer whether he will run.

Trump mocked DeSantis at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday while discussing the 2024 election, calling him “Ron DeSanctimonious."

Go deeper: Ron DeSantis' "God ad" invokes God 10 times in 96 seconds

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Ken Griffin, GOP megadonor, throws support behind DeSantis for 2024

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