"Trump administration pressures DeSantis to implement mask mandates for 'aggressive mitigation'"

A letter from the Trump White House in January 2021 urged Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to implement mask mandates and "aggressive mitigation" measures to combat COVID-19. DeSantis, who has been critical of Trump, accused the former president of being a "power-hungry" bureaucrat and rejected the demands for mask mandates and lockdown policies. DeSantis has been steadfast in resisting pressure to reimpose mandates or lockdowns and has championed a ban on local fines for not wearing masks. The release of the letter comes amid a war of words between DeSantis and Trump over COVID-19. DeSantis, currently running in second place in the 2024 Republican race, has vowed to keep Florida a "free state" and resist stringent virus suppression measures.