Disney CEO responds to DeSantis: 'Preposterous' that company is sexualizing kids

In rare public remarks, Disney CEO Bob Iger hit back at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday for starting a highly dramatized public fight against the entertainment giant, suggesting that the presidential candidate’s rhetoric was dangerous and preposterous.

Speaking on CNBC, Iger defended Disney’s legacy of entertaining generations of viewers and criticized DeSantis’ attacks on the company over the past year, which began over the company’s opposition to a bill restricting discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida classrooms. He also gave a full-throated endorsement of Disney’s ongoing lawsuit against the Florida governor, in which the California-based company accuses DeSantis of weaponizing his political power.

“The last thing that I want for the company is for the company to be drawn into any culture wars,” Iger said. “It’s concerning to me that anyone would encourage a level of intolerance or even hate that frankly could even become dangerous action.”

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

The drawn-out conflict began after Florida passed a bill — deemed by critics as “Don’t Say Gay” — in March 2022 that restricted discussion of LGBTQ topics in public schools. The CEO of Disney at the time, Bob Chapek, publicly criticized the bill, which led DeSantis to take action against the company. After decades of Disney’s enjoying special taxation privileges in the state, DeSantis revoked the company’s ability to essentially self-govern the land on which Disney World operates in Florida.

As he continued to attack Disney in public remarks and legal action, DeSantis has gained an outpouring of support from conservative allies, who labeled the company’s opposition to the classroom bill as an indicator that it was “woke.” But even while DeSantis’ circles continue to support his fights against Disney, some Republicans — including fellow presidential contender Chris Christie — have criticized him for going too far.

This February, Disney worked under the radar to reach an agreement with local government entities to gain back control over its popular Orlando park, which more than 50 million people visit a year. But DeSantis hit back in April, promising to investigate the agreement and suggesting possible taxes for hotels and tolls for roads around Disney World. A DeSantis-backed board then voted to void the previous agreements that Disney won, which led the company to sue.

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

In May, Disney canceled a $1 billion development plan to expand its Orlando-area entertainment operations.

Iger, who replaced Chapek at the end of last year, will keep his post until 2026, the company announced Wednesday. Iger preceded Chapek as Disney’s CEO from 2005 to 2020.