DeSantis trolls Biden, asks if Novak Djokovic can take boat to Florida

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took a swipe Tuesday at the Biden administration’s immigration and COVID-19 vaccination policies, asking the White House whether tennis great Novak Djokovic would be allowed to come to Florida by boat to compete.

“The only thing keeping Novak Djokovic from participating in the Miami Open tennis tournament is President Biden’s misguided and unscientific COVID-19 vaccination requirement for foreigner [sic] travelers,” DeSantis tweeted Tuesday, along with a copy of his letter.

“Mr. President – lift your restrictions and let him compete,” DeSantis added.

In the letter, the Florida governor referenced an October 2021 proclamation by Biden that banned non-US citizens from traveling to America by air without proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The 35-year-old Djokovic, who won his 22nd Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open in January, withdrew from the upcoming BNP Paribas Open in Southern California after the Department of Homeland Security rejected his waiver request, which would have allowed the Serbia native to enter the US without being vaccinated against the coronavirus.

“I note that since the onset of COVID-19, Mr. Djokovic has visited the United States twice — including once during your presidency — without any apparent health incident,” DeSantis wrote.

“It is also not clear to me why, even by the terms of your own proclamation, Mr. Djokovic could not legally enter this country via boat,” the Florida governor added. “Please confirm no later than Friday, March 10, 2023, that this method of travel into Florida would be permissible.”

The Florida governor went on to say that Biden’s administration had also “pointedly allowed thousands of unvaccinated migrants to enter our country through the southern border.

“In sum,” he wrote, “the current ‘travel ban’ as applied to Mr. Djokovic — and presumably millions of other potential unvaccinated foreign visitors — seems completely ungrounded in logic, common sense, or any genuine concern for the health and welfare of the American people.”

At least one Bahamian ferry company notes on its website that “no Covid test or vaccination is required to enter Florida when traveling by ferry.” 

Vaccination requirements for foreign air travelers will end on May 11 when the US COVID-19 emergency declaration formally comes to an end. 

Djokovic was forced to miss the 2022 Australian Open and US Open due to his non-vaccinated status. In the former case, he was deported after he had already arrived in Melbourne when the Australian government revoked his visa.

As of Tuesday, Djokovic was still listed as having accepted an invitation to compete in the Miami Open, which begins March 19.

The tournament is expected to attract some of the biggest stars in tennis, including Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff.