Trump and DeSantis Reportedly Meet in Florida to ‘Bury the Hatchet’ After Brutal Primary Campaign

Donald Trump met privately with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Miami Sunday in a bid to mend fences from the bruising GOP primary and discuss raising funds for the general election, The Washington Post reported and multiple outlets confirms.

After he dropped out of the race prior to the New Hampshire primary, DeSantis endorsed the former president via video. Trump responded by calling DeSantis “gracious” and said he was looking forward to working together to defeat Joe Biden.

“But DeSantis has not campaigned for Trump or helped him since, and in fact has made backhanded criticisms of Trump. DeSantis was stung by how Trump and his team treated him during the primary, people close to the Florida governor said,” according to The Post.

NBC’s Dasha Burns confirmed the reporting and added that the meeting was meant to “‘bury the hatchet’ and talk fundraising.”

NEW: Multiple sources confirm to @NBCNews Trump and DeSantis met in Miami this morning. A Trump official tells me DeSantis reached out two weeks ago to set up the meeting via a mutual connection to “bury the hatchet” and talk fundraising.

(First scooped by WaPo)

— Dasha Burns (@DashaBurns) April 28, 2024

This was reportedly the politicians’ first meeting since DeSantis left the trail, which lasted “for several hours.” Ultimately, “DeSantis agreed to help Trump. The meeting was friendly, according to a person with direct knowledge,” The Post reported, continuing:

Trump and allied groups have lagged behind President Biden and his allies in the money chase. DeSantis has built a wide network of wealthy patrons whose assistance would be valuable in helping Trump try to close the gap, and is popular with some Republican voters who are exhausted by Trump.

There is an incentive for DeSantis to form a closer relationship, as well. People close to DeSantis have said it is untenable for him to continue to have a strained relationship with Trump, particularly as he eyes his political future. He is widely viewed among Republican donors and consultants as weakened after a shellacking by Trump in the primary.

During the primary, Trump repeatedly referred to his rival as “Ron DeSanctimonious,” and even insinuated that Florida’s governor was a pedophile who “groomed high school girls” when he was a teacher.

In a Nov. 2023 Meet The Press interview, DeSantis said, “With Trump, if you don’t kiss the ring, you could be the best Governor ever and he will trash you. You could be a terrible, corrupt politician, but if you kiss his ring then he will praise you.”

The Post reported, “DeSantis is widely loathed inside Trump’s orbit, but the former president has shown a willingness to be forgiving and remarkably transactional when it benefits him.”

Read The Washington Post article here.