Donald Trump officially made peace with Ron DeSantis. After very harsh criticisms while they were adversaries in the Republican primaries, the former president and the Florida governor met privately in the Sunshine State. The meeting resulted in a post from Trump on Truth Social to finish settling differences and join efforts to defeat Joe Biden in November.
As for the meeting, first reported by the Washington Post and materialized last April 28, it functioned as a first rapprochement after an intense primary period in which darts flew from both sides.
Steve Witkoff, a Florida real estate broker known to both, mediated the meeting between Trump and DeSantis.
“I am very pleased to have the full and enthusiastic support of Governor Ron DeSantis”
However, Trump himself was in charge of making the reconciliation of a relationship that used to be very fluid in the past official. The former president did so through his Truth Social account, in which he thanked the governor of Florida for his support in the face of the November elections.
“I am very happy to have the full and enthusiastic support of Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida. We had a great meeting yesterday, arranged by mutual friend Steve Witkoff, at his beautiful Shell Bay Club in Hollywood, Florida. The conversation mostly concerned how we would work closely together to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. Also discussed was the future of Florida, which is FANTASTIC! I greatly appreciate Ron’s support in taking back our Country from the Worst President in the History of the United States. November 5th is a BIG DAY!!!” Trump wrote.
“It is important to bring us all together and row in the same direction”
This reconciliation can be beneficial to both sides. In the case of DeSantis, who may try again for a presidential run in 2028, a good relationship with Trump would be critical for him to seduce the most MAGA sector of the party.
According to Roy Bailey, one of the three finance chairmen of the DeSantis presidential campaign, the former president could take advantage of the governor's fundraising skills.
“It's a breakthrough and makes a lot of sense for Trump, Desantis and all Republicans. Governor DeSantis had a really solid volunteer finance team and if we could plug it in and help Trump, then that's what we should do and what we want to do. It's important to all come together and row in the same direction,” he said in dialogue with POLITICO.
