Ron DeSantis just made one decision about the Pulse shooting that has Democrats seeing red

The anniversary of America’s deadliest nightclub shooting brought back painful memories for many.

But one governor’s official statement sparked a new controversy.

And Ron DeSantis just made one decision about the Pulse shooting that has Democrats seeing red.

DeSantis leaves out key details in Pulse Remembrance Day order

Thursday marked nine years since the horrific terrorist attack at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

On June 12, 2016, a gunman claiming allegiance to ISIS opened fire at the popular venue, killing 49 people and wounding 53 others in what became one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued his annual order directing flags to be flown at half-staff to honor the victims of the attack.

But this year’s proclamation was notably different from previous years.

"Nine years ago, on June 12, 2016, a shooter claiming alliance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant committed a horrific act of terrorism at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida," DeSantis’ order read.

The statement went on to direct that flags be lowered "as a mark of respect for the victims, their families, and the many affected by this tragedy."

What the order didn’t include was language that DeSantis had used in previous years describing the attack as terrorism "against the LGBTQ and Hispanic communities."

The Pulse nightclub was a popular gathering place for Orlando’s LGBTQ community, and the attack occurred on Latin Night, when many Hispanic patrons were present.

Democrats cry foul over omission

Left-wing politicians and activists immediately pounced on the omission as evidence of bigotry.

State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith, a Democrat from Orlando, told the Sun-Sentinel that "the omission was intentional" and represented "a slight against the impacted LGBTQ and Hispanic communities."

Smith, who describes himself as the state’s first openly LGBTQ Hispanic senator, claimed DeSantis "cares more about scoring political points at the moment than authentic solidarity with his own constituents."

State Senator Shevrin Jones, another Democrat, called the omission "deeply disappointing, but unfortunately not surprising."

"Governor DeSantis continues to erase or attempt to erase the very communities most impacted by the Pulse tragedy," Jones said.

Brandon Wolf, a Pulse survivor who now works as a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, accused DeSantis of "petty political cowardice."

The governor has flip-flopped on this issue before

This isn’t the first time DeSantis has faced criticism over his Pulse remembrance statements.

In 2019, his first year as governor, DeSantis initially issued a proclamation that also omitted references to the LGBTQ and Hispanic communities.

After facing widespread backlash, DeSantis was forced to issue a corrected version less than 24 hours later.

"Sometimes these things happen, and you’ve got to correct them," DeSantis said at the time, claiming he wasn’t involved in drafting the original statement.

His office announced that "staff made an error in the previous version" and that "the Governor has directed that the proclamation be re-issued, including a direct reference to our LGBTQ and Hispanic communities."

For the following years through 2024, DeSantis consistently included language acknowledging the LGBTQ and Hispanic communities in his annual Pulse remembrance orders.

Other Republicans take different approaches

The contrast between DeSantis and other Florida Republicans on this issue is notable.

Senator Rick Scott, who was governor at the time of the Pulse shooting, included both communities in his Thursday statement.

"It’s been nine years since the tragic attack at Pulse Nightclub, where 49 innocent lives were taken in an act of terror targeting Orlando’s LGBTQ and Hispanic communities," Scott said.

Scott’s statement went on to describe how the attack "was meant to spread fear and hatred, but instead, it united Floridians."

However, Senator Ashley Moody, who DeSantis appointed to replace Marco Rubio in the Senate, took a more neutral approach similar to DeSantis.

Moody’s statement referred to the "49 innocent victims killed in the despicable attack at Pulse nightclub in Orlando" without specifically mentioning the affected communities.

Timing raises questions about political motivations

The timing of DeSantis’ decision to remove the community references has raised eyebrows among political observers.

The change comes as the Trump administration has launched a comprehensive rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the federal government.

President Trump has issued executive orders targeting what he calls "gender ideology" and has moved to remove references to diverse historical figures from government websites.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has even announced plans to rename military vessels named after civil rights leaders and LGBTQ activists.

DeSantis has long been a critic of DEI programs, frequently saying that DEI actually means "discrimination, exclusion and indoctrination."

During his time as governor, he has signed multiple laws that critics say target the LGBTQ community, including restrictions on classroom instruction about sexuality and gender.

The attack that shook America

The Pulse nightclub shooting remains one of the most devastating terrorist attacks on American soil since 9/11.

The gunman, Omar Mateen, called 911 during the attack to pledge allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The three-hour siege ended when police stormed the building and killed Mateen.

The attack devastated Orlando’s LGBTQ and Hispanic communities, with many victims being young people celebrating at what was supposed to be a safe space.

Pulse Remembrance Day was established in 2018 by then-Governor Rick Scott to ensure the victims would never be forgotten.

The memorial has become an annual opportunity for political leaders to show solidarity with communities that continue to face discrimination and violence.

Political calculations behind the controversy

DeSantis’ decision to omit the community references appears to be part of a broader political strategy.

As rumors swirl about his potential future presidential ambitions, DeSantis may be positioning himself closer to Trump’s hardline stance on cultural issues.

The governor has built his national profile partly on his willingness to take on "woke" policies and institutions.

His handling of the Pulse remembrance fits this pattern of appealing to conservative voters who are skeptical of what they see as identity politics.

But critics argue that erasing the specific communities targeted in the attack dishonors the memory of the victims.

They point out that the terrorist specifically chose Pulse because it was a gathering place for LGBTQ people, making the community connection central to understanding the attack’s significance.

The controversy highlights the ongoing tension between political positioning and community sensitivity in how leaders commemorate tragic events.

For many survivors and family members of victims, the annual remembrance represents more than just political theater – it’s a chance to ensure their loved ones are remembered accurately and completely.

Whether DeSantis will follow his 2019 pattern and issue a correction remains to be seen.

But his decision to remove the community references has already reignited debates about how America should remember one of its darkest days.