Republican Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, and former President Donald Trump convened for a private meeting in Miami on Sunday, as reported by The Washington Post. The encounter suggests a possible reconciliation following a contentious presidential primary in anticipation of the 2024 general election.
Sources familiar with the meeting, speaking anonymously to The Washington Post, disclosed the event, which was later corroborated by NBC News correspondent Dasha Burns. Burns tweeted on Sunday morning, “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.”
The meeting aimed to mend their strained relationship, with Trump advisors anticipating DeSantis’s assistance in fundraising for the upcoming general election through his extensive donor network. Arranged by Steve Witkoff, the meeting lasted several hours, during which DeSantis committed to supporting the former president, as per Burns.
DeSantis’s fundraising efforts during his GOP presidential nomination campaign were highlighted, with over $20 million raised in the first quarter and $15 million in the third quarter. Additionally, the super PAC backing DeSantis’s candidacy, Never Back Down, amassed approximately $130 million during the second quarter.
Comparatively, President Joe Biden’s campaign and affiliated groups reported a March fundraising total of $90 million, surpassing Trump and the Republican National Committee’s $65.6 million. The Democratic National Committee and associated joint fundraising committees boasted a combined $192 million cash on hand, more than double Trump’s $93.1 million.
The Daily Caller reached out to both the Trump campaign and Governor DeSantis’s office for comment on the matter.
