Former President Donald Trump has praised Georgia’s Republican governor, Brian Kemp, for supporting his campaign in the key battleground state after accusing him of “disloyalty.”
“I appreciate all of the help and support for @BrianKempGA in Georgia. A victory in Georgia is critical to the success of our party and most importantly our country,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday night.
“I look forward to working with you, your team, and all of our friends in Georgia to help Make America Great Again!”
The comments came after Trump repeatedly criticized Georgia’s popular governor over the past four years for opposing Trump’s challenges to the state’s 2020 election results, which ultimately saw President Biden beat Trump in Georgia that year by 11,779 votes.
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ASHEBORO, NORTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 21: Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during an event at the North Carolina Aviation Museum and Hall of Fame in Asheboro, North Carolina, on August 21, 2024. Additional security measures were noticeable around the event, while Trump and vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance stood behind thick glass. (Photo by Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)
“A year and a half from now, I’ll be campaigning against your governor, I guarantee you that,” Trump said of Kemp in 2021. “I shouldn’t say this. I don’t want you to say this to anybody except the millions of people outside of this room. Look, I endorsed him. He was last, but I endorsed him. He went right up to first.”
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Earlier this month, President Trump accused Kemp of being “disloyal” at a rally in Atlanta.
“He’s a bad guy. He’s a disloyal guy. And he’s just a regular governor. Little Brian, little Brian Kemp. Bad guy,” Trump said at the rally, where he blasted the governor for more than 10 minutes.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp delivers his State of the State address in Atlanta on January 11, 2024. Governor Kemp signed into law on Tuesday, May 7, further changes to Georgia’s election law, including defining valid reasons for removing a voter from the rolls if their eligibility is questioned, ahead of the 2024 presidential election in battleground states. (AP Photo/Bryn Anderson)
Trump’s positive comments about Kemp on Thursday evening came after the governor appeared on Fox News and said he would endorse Trump for president. Kemp had not endorsed anyone in the Republican primary, but has said he would back a Republican candidate in November.
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“We have to win. We have to win, from the top to the bottom. I’ve said consistently for a long time, we can’t have another four years of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. And I think it would be even worse if it was Kamala Harris and Tim Walz,” Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Thursday.
Georgia Governor-elect Brian Kemp (center) smiles as he meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House Cabinet Room on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018, in Washington, DC. Trump reaffirmed his promise to punish General Motors (GM) over plans to shut down an auto plant in the election battleground state of Ohio and said China’s plan to reduce tariffs on U.S. cars to 15% is not enough. Photo by Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images HOWELL, MI – AUGUST 20: Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump laughs while answering a reporter’s question after remarks at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 20, 2024, in Howell, Michigan. Trump is visiting Michigan this week to discuss “crime and safety” during his campaign. (Photo by Nick Antaya/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
“So we need to send Donald Trump back to the White House. We need to take back the Senate. We need to hold on to the House. We need to maintain our legislative majority in the great state of Georgia. It’s going to take a lot of hard work, and that’s what we’ve been doing.”
Georgia is a key battleground state this year after Trump defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016 but lost when he faced Biden in 2020.
Republicans in the state told Politico earlier this month that the two sides should reconcile in order to secure a majority of the votes in November.
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“At a rally in Atlanta, President Trump criticized Governor Brian Kemp and reflected on the results of the 2020 election,” strategist Eric Tannenblatt told the outlet. “Georgia is a pivotal state, and it’s important for Republicans to look ahead and not dwell on past elections. To win the next election, Republicans need to come together and prioritize future-oriented policies.”
US Vice President Kamala Harris attends the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA, Thursday, August 22, 2024. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Trump’s TruthSocial post praising Kemp came as the Democratic Party concluded its convention in Chicago and Vice President Harris delivered her nomination acceptance speech.
