Florida declared war Thursday against President Joe Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate, joining a handful of Republican led states filing lawsuits to halt the controversial mandate.

Alongside Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo in Tallahassee, DeSantis vowed to protect the livelihoods of the unvaccinated and defeat the emergency health mandate in court. At least two other states will join the suit — Georgia and Alabama.

"People are so sick of constantly being bossed around, restricted, mandated," DeSantis said after waving the several-hundred page order. "It's important to speak up for people's individual right to make decisions for themselves."

The declaration of war came hours after White House officials unveiled elements of the long-awaited U.S. employer mandate.

Under the rule, employers with more than 100 workers must ensure employees are fully vaccinated or provide weekly COVID-19 testing. The mandate, officials say, will impact roughly 84 million workers, or two-thirds of private sector jobs. The rule will take effect Jan. 4.

Implemented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the order threatens steep fines. Businesses may face fines upward of $14,000 per violation, OSHA officials said.

DeSantis suggested Florida may seek ways to thwart the business fines by possibly creating a "defense fund." The fund would essentially remove teeth from Biden's vaccine order.

The Governor's remarks garnered praise from Republican leadership in the Legislature. Senate President Wilton Simpson and House Speaker Chris Sprowls released a joint statement after the announcement, lambasting the health mandate as an "unconstitutional" overreach of government. The Legislature will convene for a Special Session letter this month to craft ways to bypass the order.

"The Legislature has always been a voice for employees and business owners across Florida who are busy working and who don't have the time or the resources to review and implement a 490-page emergency rule or to independently fight back against unconstitutional federal mandates," said the conservative pair. "We will not stand by while the Biden Administration pits hardworking Floridians against their employers."

Speaking for roughly half an hour, DeSantis argued a multitude of points to reporters.

The Republican Governor asserted the mandate will do more harm than good. Rather than compel Americans to get the jab, DeSantis insisted many will push back even harder.

"You think the first thing they're going to do is run out and get the jab after they've already been fired over it?" DeSantis asked. "Of course they're not going to do that. I don't even see how this moves the needle in a positive direction for those folks. This is going to cause more economic pain."

DeSantis repeatedly characterized the order as unconstitutional and a flagrant example of government overreach. He accused the Biden Administration of peddling medical policy under the guise of workplace regulation with emergency powers.

The emergency, DeSantis suggested, is sensationalized. He warned Floridians the government will soon push the mandate even further, describing the present rule as the "tip of the iceberg."

"Those individuals who have gone through the normal vaccination series for COVID, you will be determined to be vaccinated very soon," DeSantis said. "They're going to tell you you're unvaccinated and you have to get a booster. Otherwise you could face loss of employment or other types of penalty."

A separate order, meanwhile, carries more stringent requirements against select unvaccinated Americans.

Health care workers at facilities and hospitals that accept Medicare and Medicaid will be required to get vaccinated under a ruling issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Additionally, employees of the executive branch and contractors in business with the federal government will also be required to get vaccinated — with no option to test out.

The 490-page rollout comes weeks after Biden lashed out at unvaccinated Americans. They, Biden charged in September, are causing "a lot of damage."

"We've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us," Biden told unvaccinated Americans.

The Special Session begins Nov. 15.