Former President Donald Trump and Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp met face-to-face for the first time Friday since their spat over Trump's claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him — the Republican nominee. The meeting was the final step in a “thaw” between the two, a person close to the pair told the Post.
Kemp, 60, and Trump, 78, were briefed on the damage caused by Hurricane Helen to the Peach State.
The two have not seen each other in nearly four years, after President Trump snubbed former President Kemp for not supporting his claims of election fraud, a claim for which there is no clear evidence.
A senior Trump official told the Post that tensions have been easing in recent weeks, after Kemp recently said he needed to get Republicans “back in the White House.”
“Brian Kemp went on Sean Hannity's show and said kind things about the president and said he supported him, and that started the thaw.
“[Trump] I called him and thanked him and now I'm here,'' the source said.
The 45th president, who is facing criminal charges in Georgia for allegedly trying to illegally overturn the state's 2020 election results, also slammed Kemp in August as a “bad guy” and a “mediocre governor.” was.
The most significant impact of their rift was Trump's endorsement of former Sen. David Perdue's primary challenge to Kemp in 2022, but the governor was easily up for re-election. I ignored it.
Georgia is one of six key battleground states that Trump lost four years ago and must win to return to the White House, and improving relations with the popular Republican governor could be a major challenge for Trump. I have no choice but to help you with your efforts.
On Friday, Kemp visited Georgia and twice thanked President Trump for keeping the state a “national focus” on the state's recovery.
Trump was similarly good-natured, thanking governors for “welcoming us today in the aftermath of this terrible storm” and praising Kemp for “doing a great job.”
“That's great. That's great, we're working together and we've always worked together very well,” the 45th president added.
“The thaw feels kind of real to me from top to bottom,” the senior Trump official said. “Unless something happens that I don't foresee, I think this will continue and get even stronger.”
With just a month until Election Day, Trump is working to shore up support among his former rivals, campaign officials said.
“We spoke with [former Republican presidential candidate] I spoke with Nikki Haley and Brian Kemp. we [made amends] and [Florida Gov.] Ron DeSantis,” this person said. “I think the president has done a very good job of outreach and making sure it's a real outreach and not a hollow one.”
Kemp's office did not immediately respond to inquiries from the Post.
