Former President Donald Trump is “very honored” to have the endorsement of Gov. Ron DeSantis, he said in a statement following the news of the Florida governor suspending his presidential campaign.
“Very honored to have his endorsement,” Trump said in a statement to Fox News Digital, turning his attention to unifying behind the defeat of President Biden.
“I look forward to working together with him to beat Joe Biden, who is the worst and most corrupt president in the history of our country,” Trump added.
Trump’s reaction came shortly after DeSantis formally announced his exit from the presidential race, stating in his video statement on X that it he does not see a clear path to victory at this point. Further, DeSantis said it is now “clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance.”
“While I’ve had disagreements with Donald Trump, such as on the coronavirus pandemic and his elevation of Anthony Fauci, Trump is superior to the current incumbent Joe Biden,” DeSantis said.
“That is clear. I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee, and I will honor that pledge,” the Florida governor continued, battering Nikki Haley on his way off the primary field.
“He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican Guard of yesteryear — a repackaged form of warmed over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents,” DeSantis said.
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The Trump campaign also released a statement on this news:
With only a few days left until President Donald J. Trump’s victory in New Hampshire, we are honored by the endorsement from Governor Ron DeSantis and so many other former presidential candidates. It is now time for all Republicans to rally behind President Trump to defeat Crooked Joe Biden and end his disastrous presidency.Nikki Haley is the candidate of the globalists and Democrats who will do everything to stop the America First movement. From higher taxes, to decimating Social Security and Medicare, and to open borders, she represents the views of Democrats more than the views of Republicans. It’s time to choose wisely.
The seeming easing of tensions between the two is significant, given that Trump and DeSantis have been at odds for well over a year, even when there were mere rumblings of the Florida governor throwing his hat in the presidential ring.
The endorsement also comes as there are increasing calls for unity in the GOP, as notable figures — including former presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) — encourage the party to coalesce behind Trump and unite to defeat Biden in November.
“The race is already over,” Scott said during an appearance on Breitbart News Saturday over the weekend. “And politically speaking and figuratively speaking, they are dead people walking. It is time for this Republican Party to focus only on one person, and that is eliminating Joe Biden by electing Donald Trump.”