A secret meeting between former President Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) took place in Miami on Sunday, according to The Washington Post. The purpose of the meeting was to mend fences regarding their political disagreement.
Following the discussion, which lasted for several hours and was mediated by political allies in an effort to de-escalate what had been a fiery rivalry in the past, DeSantis agreed to provide assistance to the former president, as reported by the Post.
The network of contributors and influence that DeSantis possesses among prominent conservatives who are apprehensive of Trump might prove to be a significant favor for the campaign of the presumed nominee. As the election of 2024 draws closer, President Trump has constantly lagged behind Vice President Biden in terms of fundraising.
According to reports, the two had not communicated with one another since DeSantis withdrew from the Republican presidential race in January. After the Iowa caucuses, DeSantis decided to withdraw from the race, despite the fact that he had great hopes for his first national campaign which he failed to capitalize on. Trump, who went on to defeat Nikki Haley, a former ambassador to the United Nations, in the primary election, received his support.
However, after receiving the endorsement, DeSantis did not provide any assistance to the Trump campaign and instead made some unfavorable remarks about the former president. According to Chris LaCivita, a prominent Trump staffer, the governor was referred to as a “sad little man” one month after had withdrawn from the race.
Another possible interpretation of the détente is that it is a sign of DeSantis’s future plans. In addition to Haley, the term-limited governor is considered to be a leading candidate for the Republican nomination in 2028.
