Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis used his speech in Jerusalem on Thursday to emphasize his pro-Israel credentials ahead of his expected bid for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election. Why it matters: This is DeSantis’ fourth visit to Israel. His office branded the four-leg trip as an "international trade mission," but it's also been an opportunity for DeSantis to spotlight his foreign policy and diplomatic credentials as a likely presidential hopeful.
The trip included stops in Japan and South Korea. He will also visit the U.K. before returning to the U.S.
Driving the news: Although DeSantis made clear during his trip to Asia that he is not a candidate for the Republican party presidential nomination, he was received in Israel as one.
He met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later Thursday.
Israeli-Canadian philanthropist Silvan Adams, who introduced DeSantis ahead of his speech at the “Celebrate the Faces of Israel" event at Jerusalem's Museum of Tolerance, said that maybe the Florida governor's next visit to Israel will be aboard Air Force One. The audience of hundreds enthusiastically applauded.
What he's saying: DeSantis presented the Trump administration's decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem as his own achievement, saying he worked to "cajole" the former president to make the move. He didn't mention former President Trump by name. ...
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