Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks after a statue of the United States’ first president was unveiled in Tallahassee on Feb. 20, 2025.
A statue of President George Washington was unveiled Thursday at the Florida Capitol.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke at a news conference alongside Secretary of State Cory Byrd, who removed the covering over the bronze statue of the United States' first president.
Watch NBC6 free wherever you are
WATCH HEREThe statue of Washington was displayed in preparation for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which will be celebrated on July 4, 2026.
DeSantis spoke about how Florida would be preparing to mark the anniversary while praising Washington's dedication and humility in leading the U.S.
Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP
"He was not a dynamic speaker. He was reserved, he was quiet. He probably wouldn't be viable in today's climate, which very much values entertainment over accomplishment," the governor said. "And yet, we've never seen anybody like him."
DeSantis told stories about Washington's commitment to "the good of the people over his personal desire for power."
"We also saw Washington surrender his sword to the Continental Congress at the conclusion of the Revolutionary War... that was not the historical norm. When commanding generals succeeded in a revolution of that nature, they immediately went to install themselves in power. And Washington could've done that. He could've been the king of the United States of America if he wanted to do it," DeSantis said.
Local
The governor said King George III couldn't believe someone would refuse power like that, and reportedly said: "If Washington actually did that, then he's the greatest man in the world."
Byrd said the statue, on loan from the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, could help spark interest in the semiquincentennial.
As part of his $115.6 billion budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, DeSantis included $1 million in cultural and museum grants for projects related to the 250th anniversary.
“There’s going to be things that we do all throughout 2025 leading up to the semiquincentennial next year, all the way through July 4 of 2026,” DeSantis said.
