‘I Cringe’: DeSantis Explains Why He Stands by University of Florida President Candidate Who Made ‘Woke’ Statements

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday explained why he is allowing University of Michigan President Santa Ono to proceed in the confirmation process to lead the University of Florida, despite Ono’s previous statements that DeSantis admitted make him “cringe.”

Ono published an op-ed earlier this month explaining that his ideas on the Left’s ideology—often referred to as “woke”—have changed. He also pointed to concrete actions he took to restrain the ideology while at the University of Michigan.

“People have pointed out a lot of statements that he has made that are not exactly what we’re looking for in a state where ‘woke’ goes to die, and I cringe at some of those statements,” DeSantis, a Republican, acknowledged when asked about Ono’s candidacy.

“But basically, I think the folks that were involved in the search, after having interviewed him [and] spent time with him, it’s their judgment that he’s really kind of reached the limit on the campus leftism, and he would want to leave Michigan, where that is prevalent, to Florida, where that is frowned upon,” the governor added.

DeSantis vowed to remove Ono if he acts on his previous statements.

He dismissed the idea that “you could have a ‘woke’ here,” saying, “No, that’s not going to happen.”

“If he were to go in and do that, he will lose his job in Florida,” the governor said. “We have expectations about what we want in higher education. We don’t want it to be a fountain of activism or leftist indoctrination. If you go in that direction, then you will not have support to continue.”

The University of Florida’s Board of Trustees unanimously selected Ono to lead the university on Tuesday. The 17-member Florida Board of Governors, most of whom were appointed by DeSantis, will vote on whether to confirm him next week.

What Did Ono Say?

Manhattan Institute senior fellow Chris Rufo has highlighted Ono’s previous statements from his time leading the University of British Columbia and the University of Michigan.

Rufo compiled clips of Ono expressing support for gender ideology, the narrative of “systemic racism,” “climate justice,” “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” and more.

Ono said “equity and inclusion are embedded in all areas of academic life” under his leadership at the University of British Columbia, and he went on to provide advice “to enhance your work with gender-diverse individuals.”

The video shows Ono discussing “systemic racism,” declaring a “climate emergency,” claiming that “far too many awards go to men,” and more. He puts “he/him/his” pronouns in his Instagram profile and he recites “land acknowledgments,” which suggest Europeans are illegitimate occupiers of “unceded” territory.

Ono’s Op-Ed

Ono says these quotes no longer represent his position on these issues.

“Like many, I supported what I believed to be the original intent of DEI—ensuring equal opportunity and fairness for every student,” he wrote for Inside Higher Ed. “That’s something on which most everyone agrees. But over time, I saw how DEI became something else—more about ideology, division, and bureaucracy, not student success.”

“That’s why, as president of the University of Michigan, I made the decision to eliminate centralized DEI offices and redirect resources toward academic support and merit-based achievement,” he noted. “It wasn’t universally popular, but it was necessary. I stood by it—and I’ll bring that same clarity of purpose to UF.”

“Public universities have a responsibility to remain grounded in academic excellence, intellectual diversity, and student achievement,” Ono added. “That means rejecting ideological capture, upholding the rule of law, and creating a culture where rigorous thinking and open dialogue flourish. I share that commitment.”

Conservative Criticism

Echoing Rufo, many conservatives have condemned Ono, urging the Florida Board of Governors to vote against him.

Donald Trump Jr., the son of the president, called Ono a “woke psycho,” declaring him “a perfect fit for a communist school in California.”

“Every single member of the Florida Board of Governors should vote against him!!!” Trump added.

“They need to go back to the drawing board” on Ono, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., running to succeed DeSantis as governor, said earlier this month.

If confirmed, Ono would replace former Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., who served as the university’s president from November 2023 to July 2024. (Sasse said he resigned in order to care for his ailing wife.) Kent Fuchs, who served as the president from 2015 to 2023, has been serving as interim president since August.

The University of Florida declined to comment for this report.

The post ‘I Cringe’: DeSantis Explains Why He Stands by University of Florida President Candidate Who Made ‘Woke’ Statements appeared first on The Daily Signal.