Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched his first official presidential campaign event in the US state of Iowa on Tuesday.

“It is great to be back. And it's great for me to report that our great American comeback starts by sending (President) Joe Biden back to his basement in Delaware,” said DeSantis in his opening remarks.

He said the US “is going in the wrong direction,” citing illegal border crossings in the south, the influx of fentanyl, the Federal Reserve’s printing of money and the dollar's devaluation.

"American decline is not inevitable. It is a choice, and we must choose a new direction for our country. We must choose a path that will lead to a revival of American greatness," he said.

DeSantis made a formal announcement last Wednesday, declaring his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election in a Twitter Spaces event with Elon Musk. Earlier that day, he filed the paperwork with federal authorities, putting him on a potential collision course with former President Donald Trump.

DeSantis is thought to be Trump’s strongest Republican rival, even though the governor faces challenges regarding his far-right policies.

DeSantis has firmly established himself as a conservative culture warrior, railing against the left while implementing new policies in the state that have restricted abortion rights, clamped down on LGBTQ+ instruction in state schools and expanded gun rights to allow residents to carry concealed firearms without a permit.

His policies have put him at loggerheads with Disney, Florida's largest employer, which has stood against one of DeSantis's premier pieces of legislation, dubbed by critics as his "Don't Say Gay" law. The fight led DeSantis to repeal longstanding special treatment given to Disney under state law and has prompted a series of lawsuits between them. (Anadolu Agency)

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