Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor and former opponent of former President Donald Trump, has been added to the speaking schedule at next week’s Republican National Convention after initially not being given a role.
“I will approve the schedule change, which means he will speak now,” said a source familiar with the decision, who helps NBC News plan convention activities.
The source would not confirm which night of the convention DeSantis will speak. First, CNN reported on Tuesday DeSantis will not have a speaking role.
A source close to DeSantis said they were never told they would not be speaking at the convention.
“We’ve been told for a while that we have a place to talk and they never did,” the source said.
Trump, who can control RNC programming as much as he wants, has had an up-and-down relationship over the past few years with DeSantis.
The former president’s endorsement of DeSantis in 2018 helped him become governor of Florida, but the two spent months attacking each other during the 2024 Republican primary, when DeSantis dropped out of the race in January after a poor showing in Iowa.
DeSantis has since vowed to tap into the donor network to help raise money For Trump’s campaign; several events are planned, but none have been set yet.
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is still out of the running. He and Trump ran against each other in the primary, and he said he “wouldn’t kiss the ring” when he got out of the primary.
But in May he confirmed she will vote for Trump and Haley on Tuesday released 97 representatives that’s why they were able to support Trump at the convention.
However, this release has yet to result in her starring at the convention.
“No Haley yet,” said a source who helps plan convention activities.
Haley’s longtime top aide, Chaney Denton, confirmed to NBC News that Haley was “not invited” to the convention and that “she was fine with that.”
“Trump deserves the convention he wants,” Denton said. “He made it clear that he voted for him and wishes him the best.”
Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who finished second and third in the 2016 Republican primaries, were given places to speak at the convention where Trump was officially nominated for the presidency of the Republican Party.