Disney CEO Bob Iger slams DeSantis’s attacks on company as ‘preposterous’

Disney CEO Bob Iger on Thursday slammed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) attacks accusing the entertainment company of sexualizing children, extending a feud with the GOP presidential candidate.

“The notion that Disney is in any way sexualizing children, quite frankly, is preposterous and inaccurate,” Iger said on CNBC.

DeSantis, who is running for the White House in 2024, has been battling with The Walt Disney Co. after the company spoke out against the state’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law, which bars classroom instruction related to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) addresses the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s Road to Majority conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday, June 23, 2023.

DeSantis then moved to strip Disney of its special self-governing powers over its property in the state. The Walt Disney World theme park near Orlando is one of Florida’s largest private employers.

Disney sued DeSantis, alleging that the Florida governor has engaged in “a targeted campaign of government retaliation” and is harming the business.

“Frankly, the company was within its right, even though I’m not sure it was handled very well … to speak up on an issue — constitutionally protected right of free speech — and to retaliate against the company in a way that would be harmful to the business was not something that we could sit back and tolerate,” Iger said Thursday. Former CEO Bob Chapek helmed the company at the time.

More coverage on DeSantis and Disney from The Hill:

• DeSantis pushes to delay Disney trial until after 2024 election

• DeSantis says he’s ‘immune’ from Disney suit, asks judge to dismiss

• Disney’s reputation jumps among Democrats, drops among Republicans: poll

DeSantis has repeatedly taken swipes against Disney along the 2024 campaign trail, signaling he sees the issue as one helpful to him with GOP primary voters.

“I know in Florida [Disney] basically called the shots for many, many decades. But there’s a new sheriff in town and we don’t subcontract our leadership out to woke corporations,” DeSantis said in one recent speech, knocking Disney supporters.

“We stand for the protection of our children. We reject the sexualization of our children. We will fight against anybody who seeks to rob them of their innocence,” he said.

On Thursday, The Walt Disney Co. announced that Iger, who retired in 2020 after 15 years as CEO but came back to the company in November, has agreed to stay on two years longer than planned, through the end of 2026.

“The last thing that I want for the company, is for the company … to be drawn into any culture wars,” Iger said on CNBC.

“It’s concerning to me, but I don’t really want to engage in the specifics except to say that it’s not our goal to be involved in a culture war. Our goal is to continue to tell wonderful stories and have a positive positive impact on the world,” the Disney CEO said.

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