Gov. DeSantis 'Florida State Guard' proposal prompts alarm from critics

Left-leaning politicians and pundits expressed alarm Friday after Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed the creation of a “State Guard,” a civilian military force that he would control to assist with what his office described as “state-specific emergencies.”

The initiative drew immediate pushback from DeSantis’ critics, some of whom alleged the Florida governor was attempting to establish his own paramilitary force. DeSantis, who has frequently clashed with the Biden administration in recent months, noted a state guard was "not encumbered by the federal government."

"No Governor should have his own handpicked secret police," said Rep. Charlie Christ, D-Fla., a 2022 Florida gubernatorial candidate.