Published on
President Trump has nominated Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to Brazil, a move that would send one of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s loudest Republican critics packing to South America.
Perez, a Miami Republican of Cuban descent, has clashed repeatedly and publicly with DeSantis. He once called the governor “emotional” after disagreements over immigration policy and said DeSantis would not return his calls ahead of critical state budget meetings. Back in April, Perez sank two of the governor’s priorities, including a measure to dilute vaccine mandates and a proposal that put Florida at odds with the White House over AI regulation.
DeSantis has fired back, accusing Perez of pushing a “personal agenda” and doing the opposite of what he promised voters.
Here is the wrinkle that has Democrats crying foul. Perez also helped drag a DeSantis-backed redistricting plan across the finish line. U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries went after that on social media, accusing Perez of having “traded” the map for the nomination. “The culture of corruption is happening in plain sight,” Jeffries wrote. “Remember in November.”
Not everyone is buying the criticism. GOP Sen. Rick Scott, a close ally of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, defended Perez as “a great leader who’s accomplished a great deal” for his constituents and for Florida. “He’s not about ego. He may not seek the headlines. But he’s always focused on results,” Scott said.
Perez, who is term-limited and holds the gavel through 2026, has not said publicly whether he will accept. The Senate still has to confirm him.
He was not the only Floridian tapped Monday. Trump also nominated former state Rep. Doug Holder as ambassador to Bulgaria and Jennifer Johnson-Carroll, a former lieutenant governor under Rick Scott, as ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago.
