‘ELEVATED THREAT PROFILE’

DeSantis Racks Up $10 Million Taxpayer-Funded Security Bill

Security costs shot up more than 55 percent compared to the previous year as DeSantis began flying across the country for his 2024 presidential bid.

Since launching his 2024 presidential bid, Gov. Ron DeSantis has run up a security bill of almost $10 million, costing Florida taxpayers $3 million more than the previous year. During the period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement spent $9.4 million to cover expenses—such as salaries and travel—related to the protection of DeSantis, his wife, and their three kids, according to state records. The cost shot up by more than 55 percent compared to the previous fiscal year as DeSantis began flying across the country, campaigning in battleground states, and attending fundraisers. A spokesperson for DeSantis told NBC News that the FDLE must provide services to DeSantis and his family by law. “His record as the most effective conservative governor in American history has also earned him an elevated threat profile,” the spokesperson said. “FDLE has increased the number of protective agents to ensure the governor and his family remain [safe].”