Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has agreed to campaign on behalf of Donald Trump as the former rivals met in Miami to patch up their strained relationship. DeSantis, who had suspended his own campaign in January 2024 and endorsed Trump over Nikki Haley, will raise money for the presumptive GOP nominee in addition to campaigning for him. However, DeSantis had earlier claimed that some Trump campaign staffers had an ax to grind against him and used the criminal indictments against Trump to gain sympathy from primary voters.
In response, Trump’s campaign accused DeSantis of throwing cheap shots from afar, with one staff member calling him a “sad little man.” Despite being allies when Trump endorsed DeSantis for Florida governor in 2018, their warm relations cooled as DeSantis prepared for a White House run. Trump, in turn, labeled DeSantis as “Ron DeSanctimonious” as their relationship turned into a feud over criticisms of aspects of Trump’s first term in office. Despite this, DeSantis had previously stated that he was not interested in serving as vice president to Trump.
The meeting between DeSantis and Trump was arranged by a mutual friend, Florida real estate investor and developer Steve Witkoff. The two men had not spoken since the end of the primary season and reportedly had a friendly interaction during their several hours-long discussion in Miami. The meeting, which was first reported by the Washington Post, comes as Trump is on trial in Manhattan over an alleged hush money arrangement from the 2016 presidential campaign.
Overall, the meeting between DeSantis and Trump signals a potential reconciliation between the two GOP heavyweights as they look towards the future of the Republican party. DeSantis’s support and campaign efforts for Trump could provide a significant boost to the former president’s chances of retaking the White House. Despite their previous differences and feuds, the meeting appears to have been productive and may lead to further collaboration between the two politicians. The dynamics of their relationship and the implications for the upcoming elections will be closely watched by political observers and voters alike.