When he returned to Disney late last year, CEO Bob Iger said he wanted to “quiet things down” in the company’s ongoing political war with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). On Monday, Iger did anything but that by accusing DeSantis of retaliating against Disney and of being “not only anti-business, but anti-Florida.”
Bob Iger uttered those fighting words Monday during the Walt Disney Co.’s annual shareholders meeting, appearing in front of a backdrop of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando. But he downplayed Disney’s undeniable role in starting the fight, which occurred when former CEO Bob Chapek denounced the state’s Parental Rights in Education law.
Smeared by the media as “Don’t Say Gay,” the Florida law prohibits the teaching of sexuality and transgenderism to children in kindergarten through third grade.
After Disney protested the law and vowed to work to repeal it, Florida responded by revoking the company’s self-governing status in Orlando — a valuable corporate privilege Disney enjoyed for five decades.
When asked about the feud on Monday, Iger tried to lay the blame on DeSantis, claiming the governor retaliated against Disney while ignoring the fact that Disney threw the first punch.
Disney CEO Bob Iger blasted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis saying his policies have been “not just anti-Florida, but anti-business" https://t.co/C9lQ5qCQ9n
— Bloomberg (@business) April 3, 2023
“A company has a right to freedom of speech just like an individual does,” he reportedly said. While Iger acknowledged that his predecessor Bob Chapek could have handled things more diplomatically, he mainly blasted the Florida governor. DeSantis “retaliates against us — in effect to punish a company for exercising its constitutional right,” he added. “And that seems really wrong to me.”
He later rattled off a list of Disney’s contributions to the Florida economy. “Our point is, that any action that thwarts those efforts simply to retaliate against a position the company took sounds not only anti-business, but anti-Florida.”
During the shareholders meeting, Iger indicated the company will continue pumping out more of the woke content that has been tanking with viewers and contributed to Disney’s financial tailspin last year.
“Diversity is a real priority for us” he said, adding that Disney will continue to create content that promotes “greater understanding, greater acceptance.”
Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg. Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com
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