Trump and DeSantis Move Past Personal Primary Feud

Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are indicating to donors that they are setting aside their rivalry after a contentious primary fight.

DeSantis gathered his supporters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to urge them to raise funds to support Trump. He emphasized the need to work together to prevent Democratic President Joe Biden from winning a second term during a dinner meeting. The governor and around 30 individuals then spent Thursday morning raising money for an outside group that supports Trump’s 2024 White House campaign.

Trump phoned in to express gratitude to the group for their efforts. He commended DeSantis and the fundraising endeavor, stating “Ron, I love that you’re back,” according to sources familiar with the call.

This reconciliation is beneficial for both parties. Trump is working to catch up in fundraising against Biden, while DeSantis aims to secure support for a potential future White House bid where Trump’s backers could play a crucial role.

DeSantis and his top donors raised over $3 million for the super PAC Right for America on Thursday. This PAC is supported by prominent Republican donors like Ike and Laurie Perlmutter, who have agreed to match some of the funds raised by DeSantis’ team instead of directly funding Trump’s campaign.

The decision to channel money to the PAC rather than Trump’s campaign addresses concerns among DeSantis supporters about their donations potentially being used for Trump’s legal fees. Trump endorsed this arrangement during the Thursday meeting.

“This is where I want you to focus,” Trump stated in the call, signaling his approval of the fundraising approach.

While some Trump campaign officials were hesitant about DeSantis’ decision to support the PAC instead of Trump directly, other supporters of both figures are in favor of this strategy, seeing it as conducive to Trump’s election.

Right for America, led by Trump ally Sergio Gor, is competing with MAGA Inc., the main super PAC backing Trump. These groups are not allowed to coordinate directly with a presidential campaign, which creates challenges for fundraising efforts.

Donors at the Thursday event noted the camaraderie between Trump and DeSantis during the call, describing it as gracious and even mentioning their common interest in golf.