Trump, GOP Governor Meet Privately as VP Speculation Grows

Former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis convened privately in Miami on Sunday, as per a recent report.

Sources cited by The Washington Post revealed that the duo engaged in a lengthy discussion, characterized as an amicable meeting.

The report highlighted that both men had their own motivations for the rendezvous. For Trump, grappling with ongoing legal battles that consume time and resources, accessing DeSantis's donor network could prove advantageous. Additionally, having DeSantis galvanize Republicans would be beneficial.

"There is an incentive for DeSantis to form a closer relationship as well," the Post noted. "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."

Steve Witkoff, a real estate broker from Florida, facilitated the meeting, which culminated in DeSantis agreeing to collaborate with Trump in efforts to unseat President Joe Biden.

DeSantis has been included in some lists of potential running mates for Trump, a roster of names that has evolved based on hints from Trump and rampant media speculation.

An earlier report from Axios suggested that North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum was gaining momentum as a prospective bridge to moderate voters.

The report hinted that Burgum's inclusion could assist Trump in connecting with undecided voters, indicating favor from Trump as Burgum and his wife attended an Easter brunch at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.

Another potential running mate, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, has faced political turmoil following revelations from her upcoming memoir. The BBC reported that the memoir would detail how she shot her dog and a goat.

The memoir depicts the dog as "untrainable" and "dangerous," leading Noem to take the dog to a gravel pit and euthanize it.

"It was not a pleasant job," she penned. "But it had to be done."

Commentator Meghan McCain expressed skepticism about the impact of this revelation on Noem's political future, stating, "You can recover from a lot of things in politics, change the narrative etc – but not from killing a dog."

Noem defended her actions, stating that life on a farm sometimes necessitates difficult decisions.

"We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm. Sadly, we just had to put down 3 horses a few weeks ago that had been in our family for 25 years," she shared on X.