Franklin Graham has praised Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., for dissolving Walt Disney World's private government after the corporation opposed the state's Parental Rights in Education law, The Western Journal has reported.
"Thank God for Gov. Ron DeSantis who is willing to take a bold stand," said Graham, who heads the Samaritan's Purse humanitarian organization and is the son of the late evangelist Rev. Billy Graham. "We need more leaders like him. God bless him and the Florida Legislature."
The Parental Rights in Education law prohibits instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, which critics say marginalizes LGBTQ+ people.
Disney had at first remained silent on the bill, but issued an apology to LGBTQ+ employees after backlash to that stance and later issued a statement that the bill “should never have passed and should never have been signed into law," CNBC reported.
The retaliation by DeSantis could have huge tax implications for Disney.
"Disney has gone too far," Graham said over the weekend, according to The Western Journal. "The people of Florida have revolted, and it’s going to cost Disney big time."
He accused Disney of being a "moral failure."
"Walt Disney had a vision for wholesome family entertainment," Graham said. "He was committed to the family. The morals of the corporate leadership of Disney today are in the gutter, and they want to redefine family counter to God’s original design and flaunt sin."
Graham also said that "LGBTQ activists are using corporations to force their agenda on the public, and companies may want to take another look at what they are allowing to happen."
At the bill signing ceremony, DeSantis lashed out at Disney, saying, "You're a corporation based in Burbank, California, and you're gonna marshal your economic might to attack the parents of my state. We view that as a provocation, and we're going to fight back against that," CBS News reported.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.