CNN's Jake Tapper To Talk With Candidate DeSantis Tuesday

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) will sit down for an interview with CNN this week, his first time appearing on the network since launching his presidential campaign earlier this year.

DeSantis will sit down with Jake Tapper on Tuesday for an interview that will air at 4 p.m., the network announced on Sunday.

The Florida governor launched his presidential bid in May, and he has largely avoided interviews with media outlets other than Fox News and other conservative organizations. His CNN appearance comes amid a shake-up of campaign staff as DeSantis seeks to gain traction with voters and narrow former President Trump’s lead in the polls.

The Hill reports DeSantis’s campaign let go of fewer than 10 employees last Thursday, primarily from its event-planning team, as was first reported by Politico. A campaign spokesperson said the decision would help boost the governor’s chances of defeating President Biden if DeSantis wins the Republican nomination.

But the shuffling of staff is likely to feed into concerns among Republican donors and others that DeSantis is struggling to break through in a crowded GOP primary field and solidify himself as Trump’s main rival.