TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday blasted the indictment of Donald Trump and vowed that the state “will not assist in the extradition” even though reports suggest the former president plans to surrender voluntarily to New York authorities.

DeSantis, who is expected to challenge Trump for the Republican 2024 presidential nomination, previously said he wouldn’t get involved in Trump’s indictment “in any way” but was roundly condemned by the former president and his supporters, who accused him of being disloyal.

The Republican governor’s decision to criticize Trump’s indictment aligns him with other Republicans who have rallied to Trump’s side. It also mirrors the full-throated GOP support for Trump after the FBI searched his residence at Mar-a-Lago in August.

“The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head. It is un-American,” DeSantis said on Twitter. “The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is stretching the law to target a political opponent.”

“Florida will not assist in an extradition request given the questionable circumstances at issue with this Soros-backed Manhattan prosecutor and his political agenda,” he continued.

Under Florida law, the governor can intervene in an extradition matter if it is contested. But as of now, Trump’s lawyers have indicated that Trump is expected to surrender.

DeSantis’ stance on the indictment was being closely anticipated because, as a likely political rival, he has been hit hard by Trump and his allies in recent weeks, including over his previous comments on Trump’s legal troubles when he said: “I don’t know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair.”

Trump is currently connected to several ongoing investigations, including one over his handling of classified documents at his Florida home at Mar-a-Lago and an ongoing probe in Atlanta.