Fact Check: Did Ron DeSantis mobilize Florida National Guard to pick fruit amid labor crisis?

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA: In late August 2025, a strange rumor began circulating online that Florida Gov Ron DeSantis had mobilized the state’s National Guard not for disaster relief or security, but to pick fruit.

A viral Threads post read, “DeSantis has mobilized Florida's national Guard to pick fruit, I s*** you not.”

Similar claims spread across Facebook, Instagram, and X, where screenshots and reposts circulated widely. While some users treated it as a joke, others appeared to take it seriously, questioning whether the governor had actually turned soldiers into farmhands. But is there any truth to this? Let’s find out below.

Claim: Ron DeSantis deployed Florida National Guard to pick fruit amid labor shortages

Posts online suggested that Ron DeSantis responded to a farm labor shortage by sending members of the Florida National Guard to harvest crops.

Many commenters tied the rumor to the real immigration enforcement crackdowns of summer 2025, which had fueled widespread concern about agricultural worker shortages across the United States. 

The idea of soldiers replacing migrant farm laborers sparked mixed reactions online, ranging from ridicule to anger, with some users sharing the claim as though it were confirmed news.

The rumor spread widely enough that many readers began to assume it had a factual basis.

Fact Check: False, Ron DeSantis never ordered National Guard troops to harvest crops

A review of news reports finds no credible evidence that Florida Gov Ron DeSantis ever ordered the National Guard to pick fruit. If such an unprecedented action had occurred, it would have been covered by major Florida and national outlets, yet no reputable source has reported anything of the sort.

The rumor traces back to Duffel Blog, a website known for publishing military-themed satire. Its “About” page clearly states that its content is intended to be humorous and not factual. Since its launch in 2012, Duffel Blog has regularly poked fun at US military and national security issues through parody articles.

Further undermining the claim, the image used alongside the article was flagged by both Sightengine and Hive Moderation — two AI image-detection tools — as highly likely to have been artificially generated.

The story was satire. DeSantis never deployed National Guard troops to harvest crops.

Satirical story spread amid real concerns over US farm labor shortages

Duffel Blog has a history of publishing satirical stories that sometimes fool unsuspecting readers.

This latest rumor gained traction in part because it tapped into real concerns about farm labor shortages in 2025. Across the United States, agricultural groups and lawmakers raised alarms about the impact of stricter immigration enforcement on the availability of workers to harvest crops.

The mix of real concerns and satire helped the story spread quickly, especially on platforms where screenshots are often shared without explanation.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.