Great to be at the SunTrax Testing Grounds in Auburndale today to highlight Florida’s leadership in the future of transportation. By the end of this year, Florida will be actively testing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. SunTrax Air Ground is actively testing and supporting the deployment of autonomous and connected vehicles. I was also proud to announce that @MyFDOT is partnering with @EmbryRiddle and @PolkState to help Florida students prepare for exciting career opportunities in the next generation of transportation. These workforce education partnerships support training and credentialing for politics, engineers, technicians, and other highly skilled careers.

I joined Florida Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworsky, Lady Mayor Dame Susan Langley and industry stakeholders in London for a series of discussions about Florida and the United Kingdom’s insurance and reinsurance industries. Sitting down for a fireside chat with the Lady Mayor and Commissioner Yaworsky, we discussed our mutual economic priorities and opportunities to advance collaboration between Florida and the U.K.’s capital markets.

I joined @SpaceFlorida and the U.K. Space Agency in London to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding to advance international space collaboration through Florida’s International Aerospace Innovation Fund.

I welcomed industry and state leaders to the Florida Pavilion at the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow, kicking off the beginning of Florida’s Business Development Mission to the United Kingdom. We are proud to have 18 exhibitors reinforce Florida’s position as a leader in the international space race this week.

Florida has always been central to the American story. Long before the Declaration of Independence, Juan Ponce de Leon landed on Florida's shores, giving our state its name and opening a new chapter in the history of the New World. Today's unveiling of his statue in Leon County is another step in our America250FL initiative to celebrate our nation's founding, preserve our heritage, and ensure future generations understand where we came from.

Today, we unveiled a new statue of Juan Ponce de Leon at Florida's Capitol, honoring the explorer whose arrival in 1513 marked the beginning of Florida's written history and gave our state its name: La Florida. Florida's story began long before statehood or even at America's founding—it stretches back more than five centuries and helped shape the nation we know today. As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, Florida is leading the way by preserving and celebrating our history. While others tear down monuments and diminish our heritage, we are honoring the men and women who helped forge our civilization and teaching the next generation to take pride in our state's unique role in the American story.

The approval of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on the 4th of July, 1776 represented the ultimate political gamble. The American revolutionaries were fighting against the world’s most powerful country, and the vast majority of colonists in America either opposed or were indifferent to independence. While the odds were slim, the consequences for failure were severe. All 56 men who later signed the Declaration faced an assured death by hanging were the Revolution to fail. And they had a lot to lose. The leaders of the Revolution were generally wealthy and influential in the colonies. But they had suffered what Jefferson called a “long train of abuses” over the previous decade, and believed that failure to take a stand would lead to the destruction of their liberty. So when they pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor, they meant it. The Declaration was the ultimate political line in the sand: rights are God-given, not government-granted; government is legitimate only upon the consent of the governed; and government’s purpose is to safeguard the natural rights of the people. What began as a conservative rebellion seeking the preservation of traditional English rights evolved into a political revolution that laid the foundation for the rise of the greatest republic in history — and that produced transformational consequences around the world. We as Americans in 2026 are inheritors of this legacy of liberty and the beneficiaries of the courage, wisdom and dedication of the Founding Fathers. We can acknowledge that our society and nation face a lot of problems. Whether there will be an America 500 celebration may very well depend on how this generation of Americans tackle these challenges. But there can be no doubt that we are fortunate to be citizens of this republic. And we have a small group of patriots, who took a risky stand 250 years ago, to thank for that. Happy America 250!

The approval of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on the 4th of July, 1776 represented the ultimate political gamble. The American revolutionaries were fighting against the world’s most powerful country, and the vast majority of colonists in America either opposed or were indifferent to independence. While the odds were slim, the consequences for failure were severe. All 56 men who later signed the Declaration faced an assured death by hanging were the Revolution to fail. And they had a lot to lose. The leaders of the Revolution were generally wealthy and influential in the colonies. But they had suffered what Jefferson called a “long train of abuses” over the previous decade, and believed that failure to take a stand would lead to the destruction of their liberty. So when they pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor, they meant it. The Declaration was the ultimate political line in the sand: rights are God-given, not government-granted; government is legitimate only upon the consent of the governed; and government’s purpose is to safeguard the natural rights of the people. What began as a conservative rebellion seeking the preservation of traditional English rights evolved into a political revolution that laid the foundation for the rise of the greatest republic in history — and that produced transformational consequences around the world. We as Americans in 2026 are inheritors of this legacy of liberty and the beneficiaries of the courage, wisdom and dedication of the Founding Fathers. We can acknowledge that our society and nation face a lot of problems. Whether there will be an America 500 celebration may very well depend on how this generation of Americans tackle these challenges. But there can be no doubt that we are fortunate to be citizens of this republic. And we have a small group of patriots, who took a risky stand 250 years ago, to thank for that. Happy America 250!

Last December, I signed an Executive Order to eliminate the influence of radical terrorist ideologies and the organizations that promote them in Florida. This year, I signed legislation to strengthen those protections and give Florida permanent statutory tools to combat terrorism while defending the Constitutional rights of our citizens.   Today, we are officially designating terrorist organizations under Florida law. In addition to CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood, we are adding Antifa to the list—along with more than 90 Foreign Terrorist Organizations, including cartels.

As part of our initiative to celebrate 250 years of the American experiment, we have commissioned statues of our Founding Fathers and other great Americans of history throughout Florida.   Today, we unveiled a replica of the iconic Liberty Bell, permanently installed in Liberty County. The inscription is just as relevant today as it was in 1776: "Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof.”

With America’s 250th anniversary around the corner, Florida is celebrating our nation’s history and enduring ideals. We have already unveiled statues of the Founding Fathers in all the counties that bear their names, and today, I was proud to present a replica of Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell right here in Liberty County.   The Liberty Bell in Bristol will serve as a lasting tribute to America’s founding principles as part of our state’s ongoing initiative to honor our nation’s semiquincentennial.

The Illinois Railsplitter stands as one of America's greatest presidents.  While his life was cut short by an assassin's bullet, the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln has endured.

With America’s 250th anniversary just a few days away, I was proud to unveil a new statue of President Abraham Lincoln—the latest in our series honoring great Americans across Florida. His statue will stand here in The Villages as a symbol of dedication to the country and the sacrifice required to preserve this nation. President Lincoln was guided by the principles contained in the Declaration of Independence as he fought the Dred Scott decision and judicial supremacy, advocated for free labor, led the effort to abolish slavery, and worked to preserve the Union.

Over the last seven and a half years, Florida has set the national standard for conservative governance, while breaking record after record in economic strength, education, and environmental stewardship. We’ve delivered billions in tax relief to families while making historic investments in the priorities that matter most to Floridians. The FY 2026-2027 Budget I signed today reflects the core priorities I laid out from the beginning. This budget protects taxpayers’ interests, cuts spending for the fourth year in a row, and makes meaningful investments to build on Florida’s successes in education, public safety, environmental conservation, infrastructure, cancer research, and more. I’m proud that Florida continues to serve as the prime example of fiscal responsibility and government that works for the people of our state.

The Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Budget marks the fourth straight year Florida has reduced its budget. We have large reserves and a full rainy day fund—more than triple the size from when I took office. We’ve paid down historic debt instead of passing the burden to future generations. The State of Florida has built a strong fiscal foundation because we manage taxpayers’ money responsibly. Florida’s per capita spending is one of the lowest in the nation. We have the fewest state employees per capita in the nation. We’ve achieved high levels of fiscal responsibility while also reducing taxes and making historic investment in infrastructure, education and Everglades restoration. In short, it can be done!