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Ron DeSantis
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida at a press conference at the Eau Gallie High School aviation hangar in Melbourne, Florida, on March 22.
Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

1. TROUBLE IN PARADISE?: Republicans can't stop buzzing about Gov. Ron DeSantis. But any presidential aspirations for the Florida Republican could be easily derailed by former allies who are no longer welcome in his orbit. His defiant approach to the coronavirus pandemic helped skyrocket his popularity. But once again, his state is beset by a surge in cases and hospitalizations.

Here's what else could derail a 2024 bid before it even starts:

  • His relationship with Rep. Matt Gaetz: Gaetz once called his longtime friend the "Batman" to his "Robin." But today, the lawmaker is seen as more of a liability because of a federal investigation surrounding allegations of sex trafficking. Gaetz has repeatedly denied any such wrongdoing, but their current status is a far cry from the days when DeSantis leaned on the well-connected congressman to help further his career.
  • Tensions with Florida's Trump whisperer: The GOP operative Susie Wiles helped Donald Trump carry the largest swing state twice. Wiles also helped DeSantis win the governorship in a nail-biter in 2018. But the two had a nasty falling out. Now, Wiles is helping run Trump's postpresidential office, one of many signs of just how large Trump looms in DeSantis' future plans.
  • That's not his only less-than-sunny relationship: Sen. Rick Scott, a former governor himself who is also in the 2024 discussion, has a long-simmering feud with DeSantis. They've clashed over what to do with federal coronavirus funds and problems with Florida's unemployment website. There's also a perceived slight from when Scott left DeSantis' swearing in early to attend his own swearing in.

Read about what advisors for both DeSantis and Trump are saying about the pair navigating the governor's increasing fame.

2. We finally have a bipartisan infrastructure bill. It's a massive 2,700 pages: The bill calls for $550 billion in new spending over five years above projected federal levels in what would be the federal government's largest infrastructure investment in years, the Associated Press reports. Late last night, most of the 10 senators involved in the bipartisan effort spoke on the Senate floor about their efforts. But conservatives still have major concerns about how lawmakers are funding their plans, which includes repurposing unused pandemic relief. Here's what to expect in a potentially bumpy road ahead.

3. Millions of landlords are expected to file for evictions: The nationwide moratorium on evictions has expired, and 7.4 million Americans are behind on rent. Experts expect landlords to quickly move to evict tenants who haven't paid, which could escalate the national homelessness crisis, especially in hard-hit urban areas and the South. What to expect from landlords, tenants, and the market.

  • Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ripped fellow Dems over the expiration: "There were a handful of conservative Democrats that threatened to get on planes rather than hold this vote, and we have to really just call a spade a spade," Ocasio-Cortez said on CNN's "State of the Union." More on her comments.

4. Fauci predicts more "pain and suffering" ahead: Dr. Anthony Fauci said he didn't see more lockdowns ahead, but he stressed that not enough Americans were getting vaccinated to crush the pandemic. Nationwide, reported COVID-19 cases have risen by 148%, hospitalizations by 73%, and deaths by 13% over the past 14 days, per The New York Times. The latest on the Delta variant in the US.

5. Three Democratic lawmakers failed to properly disclose stock trades: Reps. Lori Trahan, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Kathy Castor each signaled their tardiness on thousands of dollars' worth of financial transactions. Here's what else lawmakers are investing in, including Sen. Mark Kelly's connection to a supersonic-commercial-aircraft company.

Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar's armed forces and Head of Myanmar's coup regime, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attends the 9th Moscow Conference on International Security in Moscow, Russia on June 23, 2021.
Min Aung Hlaing, the commander in chief of Myanmar's armed forces and head of Myanmar's coup regime, in Moscow on June 23.
Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

6. ​​Myanmar's military leader says he's not going anywhere: The military ruler Min Aung Hlaing named himself prime minister and promised multiparty elections in a televised address but has extended the country's state of emergency until at least August 2023, Reuters reports. This latest announcement means Myanmar won't see nationwide elections anytime soon.

7. Trump has built a $100 million war chest: Trump's network of political organizations is sitting on nearly $102 million in cash, a staggering amount for a former president at this stage in the election cycle, CNN reports. Trump has juiced donations with continued false claims challenging the legitimacy of the 2020 election. Here's what the staggering sum says about his staying power.

8. Obama's planned birthday bash raises eyebrows: Former President Barack Obama is planning a massive outdoor party on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts next weekend to celebrate his 60th birthday as concerns over the Delta variant rise, Axios reports. Unnamed sources said guests were asked to be vaccinated and there would be a "COVID coordinator" to ensure proper protocols are followed. It's expected to be a star-studded event, with Oprah Winfrey and George Clooney on the guest list.

9. Rep. Kevin McCarthy joked about hitting Nancy Pelosi with the speaker's gavel: McCarthy, the top House Republican, thanked attendees at a fundraiser for handing him an oversize gavel while adding of the real thing: "I want you to watch Nancy Pelosi hand me that gavel. It will be hard not to hit her with it, but I will bang it down." Democrats weren't too happy with the latest escalation in the feud between the House's two most powerful leaders.

10. All the moments you missed at the Olympics: Track and field is in full swing, and the Italian Lamont Marcell Jacobs nabbed the title of "fastest man in the world" in the first post-Usain Bolt Olympic 100-meter dash. Jamaica swept all three medals in the women's 100 meters, the second time the nation has done that.

Lamont Marcell Jacobs with his hand on his head after he realized he'd won Olympic gold in the 100-meter final.
The Italian sprinter Lamont Marcell Jacobs.
Photo by Cameron Spencer / POOL / AFP

It's not over ...: The Dutch runner Sifan Hassan fell in the final lap of the 1,500-meter qualifier, her sixth distance race in eight days. But she got back up and staged an incredible comeback you must see to believe.

How they do it down in Puerto Rico: Hurdler Jasmine Camacho-Quinn became the second-ever Puerto Rican to win gold.

An Olympic sprinter is seeking asylum: Krystsina Tsimanouskaya of Belarus was scheduled to compete in the women's 200-meter dash. Instead, Tsimanouskaya was said to have been "forcibly" removed from the games after criticizing her national team. But she is refusing to leave Japan.

Jump for joy: Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy faced a jump-off for gold in the high jump. Instead, they decided to split the gold and celebrate together. More on their remarkable display.

And one final yarn: The newly minted gold medalist Tom Daley was spotted knitting in the stands while watching the women's diving final.

Today's trivia question: Another Olympics-related question: The Olympics, in non-pandemic years, are known for their intricate torch relays. But Russia pulled out all stops in 2014 by sending an unlit torch to a faraway locale. Where was it? Email your guess and a suggested question to me at [email protected].

Read the original article on Business Insider