Florida Governor Ron DeSantis found himself in an unexpected spotlight after a productive meeting with former President Donald Trump in the Sunshine State, earning rare praise from his former rival.
The private meeting, described as “great” by Trump, sparked speculation about DeSantis potentially being tapped as Trump’s running mate in the upcoming election.
However, a source clarified that the meeting was primarily focused on joint fundraising efforts to support Trump’s bid against President Joe Biden, rather than discussing the vice presidency.
Donald Trump (Credits: Rolling Stone)
The meeting, held at Steve Witkoff’s Shell Bay Club in Hollywood, Florida, marked the first communication between Trump and DeSantis since the governor withdrew from the Republican primaries earlier this year. Their three-hour discussion concluded with a handshake, signaling a reconciliation after a contentious primary battle.
Trump took to his Truth Social platform to express gratitude for DeSantis’ “enthusiastic” endorsement and highlight their plans to collaborate in “making America great again.” He also praised the governor’s support in challenging what he termed as the “Worst President in the History of the United States.”
Before dropping out of the presidential race, DeSantis faced Trump’s criticism and mockery, with the former president disparagingly referring to him as “Meatball Ron” and “Ron DeSanctimonious.” DeSantis had previously endorsed Trump for governor but later faced accusations of disloyalty.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (Credits: Inside Climate News)
Despite their past animosity, DeSantis endorsed Trump on social media immediately after exiting the race, although some critics questioned the sincerity of his support at the time.
The governor’s decision to withdraw came after a disappointing showing in the Iowa caucuses and consistently trailing Trump in polls. In a previous interview, DeSantis criticized Trump’s expectation of unwavering loyalty, stating that failure to “kiss the ring” would result in being disparaged, regardless of one’s merits as a governor.
