Former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis met on Sunday, marking the first time they had been together in months. The meeting comes as signs of a truce between the two Republicans emerge, with the goal of uniting against common foe Joe Biden in November.
DeSantis, who ran against Trump for the Republican nomination in 2024 before dropping out and endorsing the former president, has expressed skepticism about Trump’s ability to run again. However, DeSantis requested a meeting with Trump on Sunday, reportedly arranged by Florida real estate broker Steve Witkoff, in an attempt to put aside their differences.
According to sources, Trump and DeSantis discussed how they could work together on the campaign trail. The meeting was described as “good” by the Trump campaign, while multiple donors praised the move as “smart” on DeSantis’ part.
Roy Bailey, a finance chair for the DeSantis presidential campaign, believes that this development is beneficial for all Republicans. It’s great news for Trump, DeSantis and all Republicans,” he said. Gov. DeSantis had a really strong volunteer finance team, and if we could plug that in and help Trump, then that’s what we need to do.
The meeting comes after DeSantis initially considered running against Trump in the primary but ultimately dropped out and endorsed him. Despite their differences, DeSantis has expressed support for Trump, saying “Trump is superior to the current incumbent Joe Biden. That is clear.
The Trump campaign confirmed the meeting and stated that they are honored by DeSantis’ endorsement. The development is seen as a sign of unity among Republicans ahead of the November election.