It’s hard to believe that after nearly 18 months of feuding, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis would have anything in common. The two men have thrown sharp blows at each other as DeSantis rails against Disney across the country as he runs for the Republican presidential nomination.
Related: In Iger vs. DeSantis, It’s a Battle of Egos to the Death
For his part, just this past week, Iger called DeSantis’ claims that Disney is sexualizing children through its films “Preposterous and inaccurate.” And those were probably two of the nicer words that popped into Iger’s head when thinking of how to respond to those allegations.
But even after all that anger and vitriol, the two men at the center of this fight seem to have something in common. Iger and DeSantis have had to cut staff members to save money in desperate times.
Politico reports that Gov DeSantis’ fledgling campaign for president has had to cut a “small number” of staff members, primarily involved in event planning. The Florida Governor raised more than $20 million last quarter but is cutting staff to ensure he has enough funds available for the remaining months.
Disney CEO Bob Iger has also had to shed staff amidst the Disney Company’s struggles. Iger just completed the layoffs of more than 7,000 workers, mainly on the television and film side of the company. Iger also used the layoffs to purge Disney employees loyal to his predecessor, CEO Bob Chapek.
It appears that the feud that began over Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, known by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, has taken its toll on both parties. Governor DeSantis is struggling to find any traction in the Republican primary. He is trailing former president Donald Trump by 33 points nationwide and 24 points in Iowa, which hosts the first primary.
For Bob Iger, Disney’s films have been a disaster over the last 18 months, with the company losing nearly $900 million over one year. Disney’s summer films haven’t faired much better, with Little Mermaid, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Elemental all failing to meet box office expectations. Recently, Iger has also had to answer questions about stories of dwindling Park attendance at Walt Disney World.
Perhaps now would be a good time to discuss a truce with both men struggling. Florida Gov Ron DeSantis could let Walt Disney World regain its self-governing district. In exchange, Disney CEO Bob Iger could pump much-needed cash into the DeSantis campaign.
But neither seems likely, so we’re in for a prolonged culture war that will end in Federal Court. We were so close to finishing all this.
We will continue to update this story at Disney Fanatic.
