100-Year-Old Tree Falls During Storm at Governor's Mansion

Gov. Ron DeSantis was delivering an update on the damage caused by Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday when he paused to include the toll on his residence. His wife, Casey, made the announcement on X, posting a photo and the news: "100 year old oak tree falls on the Governor's Mansion in Tallahassee—Mason, Madison, Mamie and I were home at the time, but thankfully no one was injured." The governor said in his press conference that his wife had just called and told him that everyone was fine.

His wife's tweet said the tree fell on the structure, but the governor and Republican presidential candidate said, "I think it was a little bit off to the side." Either way, he said, the tree would have to be cleared away. The mansion was built in 1907, then rebuilt in 1955 because it was no longer structurally sound, per CBS News. The Greek Revival-style Governor's Mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places and is blocks from the state Capitol. "Though the tree was nice," the governor said that "if they do cut down the whole tree, that's just going to be more room for my kids to hit baseballs in." (More Hurricane Idalia stories.)