In a surprising turn of events, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially ended his bid for the 2024 U.S. presidential race and has thrown his support behind former President Donald Trump. DeSantis made this announcement through a video posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

DeSantis acknowledged that a majority of Republican primary voters expressed a desire to give Donald Trump another chance, influencing his decision to withdraw from the presidential race. This move comes just ahead of the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire, scheduled for the coming Tuesday.

The Florida governor took the opportunity to criticize his closest rival, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, stating that the Republican party shouldn't revert to the old guard of the past, which he associated with "warmed-over corporatism" represented by Haley.

DeSantis, once considered a strong contender to challenge Trump, faced a series of challenges and setbacks in his presidential campaign. Despite amassing a significant political war chest exceeding $100 million and holding a solid legislative record on conservative issues, DeSantis struggled to gain momentum. His campaign experienced technical glitches during the announcement, staff upheavals, and poor results in early contests.

The Iowa caucuses dealt a significant blow to DeSantis, as he lost by a considerable margin of 30 percentage points to Trump. Additionally, financial challenges emerged, leading to layoffs and internal concerns about campaign coordination with a super PAC. These issues, coupled with DeSantis' difficulty connecting with voters on a personal level, contributed to the decision to suspend his presidential bid after just one voting contest.

With DeSantis ending his 2024 presidential campaign, questions arise about his political future. Currently term-limited as Florida governor, the 45-year-old leader faces uncertainties after this unexpected turn of events. Meanwhile, Donald Trump continues to cast a significant shadow over the Republican Party, with DeSantis now refocusing on the remainder of his second term as Florida governor until January 2027.