Elite universities made themselves targets for conservatives.
They're reaping what they've sown.
And Ron DeSantis dropped one truth bomb at Yale that sent Democrats into meltdown mode.
DeSantis returns to Yale with message for conservative students
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis returned to his alma mater Friday to deliver a message that Yale probably didn't want to hear.
The former Republican presidential candidate spoke at the Buckley Institute's annual conference at the Omni New Haven Hotel.
DeSantis told conservative students to "stand firm for what's right" in the face of campus leftism that's only gotten worse since he graduated in 2001.
DeSantis calls Yale's political climate worse than ever
The Yale baseball captain turned Governor didn't hold back when asked whether the campus political environment improved since his time there.
"The Great Awokening was a disaster for higher education," DeSantis stated.¹
He called the aftermath of Yale's 2015 Halloween controversy – when thousands protested for racial inclusivity – a "low point for Yale."²
DeSantis recounted showing up to his first day of class in jean shorts, flip-flops and a cut-off t-shirt only to discover his prep school classmates from Phillips Academy Andover and Phillips Exeter were "a little bit different."
https://twitter.com/KickboxerEsq/status/1989721394985255226?s=20
The Governor said Yale failed its mission to prepare strong leaders for American society and the "craziness" has only escalated.
"I am definitely one of the few people, unquestionably, that can say I went through both Harvard and Yale and came out more conservative than when I went in," DeSantis declared.³
He quoted William F. Buckley Jr.'s mission to stand "athwart history, yelling Stop" and said while specific issues changed since Buckley's era, the underlying conservative principles remain constant.
Florida's economic success proves DeSantis right
DeSantis spent considerable time highlighting his record as Governor that directly contradicts the leftist orthodoxy he rejected at Yale.
He eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion programs from Florida's public universities and cracked down on teachers unions.
The results speak for themselves.
Both CNBC and U.S. News rank Florida as having the best economy in the United States for three consecutive years.⁴
Florida's GDP hit $1.34 trillion in 2024 with 1.4% job growth and an AAA credit rating from Moody's.⁵
The state has the lowest number of state workers per capita, lowest debt per capita, second-lowest spending per capita, no income tax, and the number one public higher education system in America.
U.S. News also ranked Florida second in the nation for education while the state moved up to sixth place overall.⁶
https://twitter.com/equus_gluteus/status/1989515389370503487?s=20
For the ninth consecutive year, Florida ranked first in higher education.
DeSantis proved that rejecting woke ideology and implementing conservative governance produces tangible results that improve people's lives.
His administration canceled or repurposed $33 million in DEI-related grants including $1.5 million for "Challenging Anti-Black Racism in Civil and Environmental Engineering Curriculum" and $750,000 for a grant exclusively available for minorities pursuing STEM degrees.⁷
Student reactions show hunger for conservative leadership
Conservative students at the event expressed gratitude for DeSantis returning to campus.
Yale College Republicans president Manu Anpalagan said DeSantis's criticism of Yale was "perfectly valid."
"I think the governor's concerns and his criticism of his time at Yale is perfectly valid," Anpalagan told reporters. "And a lot of people have seen the horrifying mistakes that past graduates of elite schools have made in politics in government, and they are rightfully skeptical of that."⁸
Student Shailen Sharma appreciated DeSantis sharing "experiences about Mory's, his time on the baseball team."
"It felt like we were talking to a Yale student," Sharma said.⁹
Yale's conservative students clearly hunger for leaders who won't apologize for standing up to leftist campus culture.
https://twitter.com/MikeCerulliCT/status/1989508610851033305?s=20
The fact that Yale president Maurie McInnis suggested the Buckley Institute's presence might protect Yale from Trump administration funding threats shows how much power campus conservatives now wield.
DeSantis also addressed artificial intelligence during his speech, warning about the "transhumanist element" that wants to "basically wipe out human agency and turn things over to machines."
"I think human beings have a duty to make sure we're thinking for ourselves," DeSantis explained. "We can never be relieved of that duty."¹⁰
The Governor's return to Yale demonstrated that elite universities no longer control the narrative about their role in American society.
Conservatives who survived campus indoctrination are now implementing policies that prove their worldview works while the ivory tower elite clings to failed progressive ideology.
¹ Jaeha Jang & Corinne Cowan, "DeSantis bashes liberal dominance at Yale, touts Florida record," Yale Daily News, November 17, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
⁴ "DeSantis Celebrates as Florida's Economy Ranks #1 for Third Consecutive Year," The Floridian, July 15, 2025.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ "Florida tops U.S. for economy, up to 6th overall," Florida Realtors, 2025.
⁷ "Governor Ron DeSantis Directs Florida Board of Governors to Crack Down on H-1B Visa Abuse," Executive Office of the Governor, October 2025.
⁸ Jang & Cowan, "DeSantis bashes liberal dominance at Yale."
⁹ Ibid.
¹⁰ Ibid.
