Just weeks after he called him a “bad guy” and “average governor”, Donald Trump is apparently burying the hatchet with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.
As first reported by Politico, in a post to Truth Social, Trump surprisingly thanked Kemp for all his “help and support in Georgia where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country.”
Trump’s Truth based on Kemp’s Hannity appearance. https://t.co/eJf7fUv781 pic.twitter.com/i2AvwflLs3
— Sandy 〽️ (@RightGlockMom) August 23, 2024
“I look forward to working with you, your team, and all of my friends in Georgia to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump added.
Trump’s post came less than 10 minutes after Kemp appeared on Sean Hannity’s prime-time Fox News show and reiterated his support for electing Republicans up and down the ballot — including Trump. Kemp said he was working to support efforts on the ground.
“We’ve got to win. We have to win from the top of the ticket down. I have been saying consistently, for a long time, we cannot afford another four years of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and I think Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are going to be even worse,” Kemp told Hannity.
He said, “We need to send Donald Trump back to the White House, we need to retake the Senate, we need to hold the House, we need to hold our legislative majorities that we have in the great state of Georgia.”
Late last night, Trump was also interviewed by Fox News’ Bret Baier, who asked him: “Are you making a specific effort in Georgia to make up, if you will, with the Governor of Georgia Brian Kemp?”
“Well I just saw Brian … a very good man — did you ever hear of a man named Sean Hannity? And he was interviewed by Sean Hannity and he was very nice,” Trump replied. “He said he wants Trump to win and he’s going to work with me 100 percent and I think we will have a very good relationship with Brian Kemp.”
On Thursday afternoon, Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, said he spoke with Kemp earlier in the day and is convinced the Georgia governor “wants us to win, because he believes the policies of Kamala Harris are disastrous for this country.”
“I read the headlines. Brian Kemp and Donald Trump have had some disagreements. I am 100 percent, guarantee you, that Brian Kemp is behind this ticket,” Vance told reporters.
While it may be surprising, it seems like the mending relationship between Trump and Kemp has been in the works.
Longtime Republican operatives in Georgia told Politico that they expected the two men would come together — with both their ambitions in mind.
Two weeks ago at Mar-a-lago, Trump took credit for Kemp’s election win but told reporters he would “love to see [his relationship with Kemp] get repaired.”
Earlier this month, Kemp said at a political summit held by Erick Erickson that Trump’s recent comments about him will not change his support for the former president.
“Despite all of that noise, my position has not changed,” Kemp said. “I said a long time before the presidential primary ever started … that I was going to support the nominee and we were going to use our political operation to win Georgia.”