Podcast star Joe Rogan is the latest public figure to express support for Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ potential presidential run in 2024.
The comedian backed DeSantis, an early front-runner for the GOP’s 2024 presidential nomination, during a conversation with former MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano on Tuesday’s edition of “The Joe Rogan Experience.”
The conversation about DeSantis’ presidential prospects began after the pair extensively criticized President Biden — whom Rogan described as “a dead man as president” who is unable to handle his responsibilities.
“Are you throwing out any support towards anyone or are you gonna hold off? Didn’t Elon Musk come out recently for DeSantis?” Carano asked.
“Yeah, I think Ron DeSantis would work as a good president,” Rogan responded. “I mean, what he’s done for Florida has been admirable.”
Rogan argued that DeSantis’ leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw Florida reopen far sooner than other states that maintained health-related restrictions on businesses and schools, was proven effective despite sharp criticism from Democrats.
“I feel like what we did for Florida, people gave him a lot of grief, but ultimately, he was correct,” Rogan said. “He was correct when it comes to deaths, he was correct in terms of protecting our vulnerable populations, he was correct in terms of distribution of monoclonal antibodies.”
“You know, he is not perfect, he’s a human being, but what he’s done is stand up for freedoms,” Rogan added. “There’s some weird gaslighting s–t that went on where people equated freedom and saying the word freedom to like right-wing bigotry and hate is so strange.”
DeSantis has yet to formally declare his intent to run for president in 2024.
Musk, the Tesla CEO and an occasional guest on Rogan’s podcast, revealed earlier this month that he was “leaning” toward supporting DeSantis in 2024.
Musk, who also predicted a “massive red wave” in the 2022 midterm elections, recently switched his allegiance to the Republican Party — arguing the Democrats have moved too far left on the political spectrum.