Former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a private meeting over the weekend, signaling a thaw in their relationship after a contentious Republican primary battle characterized by insults and strained relations, according to sources familiar with the discussion.
The three-hour meeting aimed to mend fences and explore potential joint fundraising initiatives, as revealed by one source who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose details of the private gathering. During the meeting, the governor reportedly pledged his support to Trump as he gears up to face President Joe Biden in the upcoming general election. Another source mentioned that the meeting concluded with a handshake between the two leaders.
The meeting, initially reported by The Washington Post, was facilitated by Florida real estate investor Steve Witkoff and took place at his Shell Bay Club in Hollywood, Florida.
Witkoff has not yet responded to requests for comments through his office.
In a social media post on Monday, Trump described the meeting as “great” and expressed gratitude for Governor DeSantis’ “full and enthusiastic support.” He outlined that their discussion mainly revolved around collaborating closely to “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” and also touched upon the promising future of Florida.
DeSantis boasts a robust network of donors from his gubernatorial and presidential campaigns. He entered the White House race with a substantial $130 million war chest.
While DeSantis endorsed Trump when he withdrew from the GOP nomination race via a video message, he has not actively campaigned or fundraised for Trump. At times, DeSantis has made remarks that seemed to challenge Trump, such as his response to reports about some Florida Republicans wanting to assist in funding Trump’s legal expenses.
The Republican primary witnessed a bitter feud between the two leaders, once allies turned adversaries. Trump criticized DeSantis as disloyal, dubbing him Ron “DeSanctimonious,” while DeSantis suggested Trump’s electoral prospects were dim and implied a decline in his political prowess over the years.
Despite DeSantis’ potential for another presidential bid, his pathway may face hurdles due to lingering tensions within a party largely supportive of Trump, especially if Trump secures victory in the November elections.
