In perhaps the surest sign that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis plans to run for US president next year, the Republican politician has embarked on a charm offensive on the other side of the world.
Mr DeSantis was set to land in Israel on Thursday after a whirlwind trip to Japan and South Korea, where he met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean PM Han Duck-soo.
In Israel, the conservative governor, who has led a culture war against “woke” liberal values in his home state, is expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who currently heads the most hard-right government in Israel’s 75-year history.
“Of course,” Mr Netanyahu said, when asked on CBS's Face the Nation if he would meet Mr DeSantis. “I'll meet with everyone. Why not? I meet with Republican governors and Democratic governors.”
The Prime Minister added that it was his “job” to meet with Mr DeSantis and other American leaders and that it was “important for Israel’s bipartisan support in the United States”.
Mr Netanyahu was close to former president Donald Trump, who is the current Republican front-runner.
Under Mr Trump, the US relocated its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move heralded by Mr Netanyahu and other conservatives but one that upended decades of US foreign policy and frustrated Palestinians who also claim the Holy City as their future capital.
Mr DeSantis’ trip to the region is an opportunity for him to burnish his foreign policy credentials and show voters back home that he too can cultivate close ties with Israel and the Netanyahu government.
“For Governor DeSantis to be able to see on the ground what is going on, as well as to meet with and build a relationship with Netanyahu, is significant for him to credibly claim that he is going to continue on with the proper agenda with foreign policy particularly to the Republican electorate,” explained John Thomas, a Republican strategist who heads a political action committee in support of Mr DeSantis.
US support of Israel is an important element of any Republican agenda and Mr DeSantis is actively working to prove to the Republican base that he will carry on that tradition, explained Mr Thomas.
The governor is travelling as part of an international trade mission and appeared irritated when a journalist asked about the possibility of running against Mr Trump.
“I'm not a candidate, so we'll see if and when that changes,” he said.
But Mr Thomas called the trip “significant” and an important step to “burnish and bolster” Mr DeSantis’ “credentials to run for president.”
“He's going out there to be able to come back to the United States and credibly say that he is qualified and has relationships to make the tough decisions that are required of a commander in chief,” Mr Thomas told The National.
