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Ron DeSantis: “An Article 5 convention cannot change the Constitution.”

Featuring: Ron DeSantis, Republican | Governor of Florida

Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment

Published February 18, 2026 | Video Starts at 10:57

I mean, you're not going to want people up there that don't believe in it. So I think there's adequate safeguards. But here's the thing. An Article 5 convention cannot change the Constitution. It's simply one mechanism of proposing. Congress can propose with 2/3. The states can propose with 2/3. Ultimately, any actual change for the Constitution requires ratification of 3, 3/4 of the states, 38 states. (10:57–11:01)

CLAIM

Asserts that an Article 5 convention is only a mechanism for proposing amendments, not changing the Constitution.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Ron DeSantis

“We were one vote away in the mid-1990s in the US Senate from passing a balanced budget amendment out of Congress and sending it to the…”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 02:36-02:46
“We've got 28 states that have done this [passed a balanced budget amendment].”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 03:37-03:40
“Even 10 years ago, I think we were at like 16 trillion. Now you're at 38 trillion.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 04:37-04:44
“Those interest payments are over a trillion dollars a year and growing.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 04:52-04:58
“New York State's budget, even though we have 3 million plus more residents than they do, their budget's more than twice the size of…”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 18:25-18:35
“This balanced budget amendment is important. I don't think there's any other way that you're going to change the fiscal trajectory of this…”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 02:18-02:36
“We had three years in a row where the federal government in the late 90s was actually running a balanced budget.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 02:50-02:56
“When some of the bonds come due this year for refinancing, they're going to be refinanced, unfortunately, at higher interest rates.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 04:57-05:05
“I have line item veto, so I veto spending, but we also run surpluses.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 05:44-05:50
“Ultimately, any actual change for the Constitution requires ratification of 3/4 of the states, 38 states.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 11:08-11:17
“Kentucky hasn't passed it, but it's really a prime candidate that would want to pass it.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 12:08-12:13
“A guy that sends state police to try to block people from worshiping on Easter Sunday.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 12:37-12:44
“A guy that's obsessed with gender mutilation of minors.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 12:43-12:47
“I've been involved with balanced budget for the last 10 years.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 13:31-13:35
“South Carolina's passed it now and Idaho House just passed it.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 13:50-13:55
“Congress was actually going to green light $2 trillion of spending without a vote.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 14:21-14:35
“Then the COVID spending started, a lot of the acceleration of the debt and such, because you've seen that's when they locked in the $2…”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 14:42-14:54
“Eighteen states, including Florida, and I think many more, if we get to the point, have enacted legislation about faithful delegates.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 15:50-15:59
“Each state's going to get one vote.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 16:21-16:23
“We've been a state 180 years, you look at our whole history, all the debt that was accumulated since I've been governor, we've retired half…”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 17:21-17:29
“I vetoed $10 billion in spending with line item vetoes, which has helped us retire that debt.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 17:30-17:37
“Our budget for three years in a row has basically been the same, the top line, maybe within a little variations.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 17:37-17:45
“We just did 1.38 billion for teacher pay increases.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 18:01-18:06
“We have 23 and a half million people. Our budget is $117 billion.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 18:20-18:25
“It's going to require a constitutional amendment that gets support from people across party lines and including a lot of independents.”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 21:10-21:18
“I think this balanced budget can do that because I think people realize that the trajectory is scary, and we got to do something about it…”
Governor DeSantis Holds Press Conference in Kentucky Supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 21:17-21:26