Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is seeking to raise $10 million for former President Donald Trump as part of an upcoming multi-state fundraiser, according to an adviser to DeSantis and two sources familiar with the matter.
DeSantis is raising money for Right for America, a super PAC run by Trump ally Sergio Go. Events are expected to begin in July and continue through September in states including Texas, California and Washington. Billionaire former Marvel Entertainment chairman Ike Perlmutter is one of the PAC’s biggest donors.
Perlmutter, DeSantis and a group of DeSantis donors met last Thursday, including Trump, on a conference call to discuss the fundraising efforts, one of the attendees said. The call lasted about 10 minutes.
Trump and DeSantis, once rivals in a bitter 2024 presidential primary, criticized each other’s golf skills and campaigns, the source said. They talked about the courses they were playing. The source described the conversation as light-hearted and positive, saying, “Trump being Trump.”
“It was like going back to 2019,” the source said.
It has also been reported that Trump has asked DeSantis to cooperate with Right for America, and that DeSantis has agreed to do so.
Another source who was on the call told CNN, “The conversation was very friendly and warm. They talked about golf and made small talk. The governor told the former president that he raised more money than any other politician in 2020 and will do the same in 2024. Trump thanked DeSantis and said he was happy to have him back. The president was very grateful and the governor remained supportive.”
DeSantis and Trump have spoken by phone at least twice since they met in Florida last month, according to two sources who were on the call.
NBC News first reported the news.
CNN’s Kristen Holmes contributed reporting
