PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump He hosted 22 of the nation’s 27 Republican governors for dinner at his club in Florida on Thursday night to help push his agenda in conservative states 11 days after taking office.
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte He told reporters outside the gathering that some GOP governors who couldn’t attend were being inaugurated, and one was delayed by snow and couldn’t make it to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. But he said potential attendees are “thrilled to accept the president-elect’s invitation” and that it will bring “a collaborative relationship we haven’t had in four years” under the Biden administration.
“It’s been a long time without cooperation in Washington,” Gianforte told reporters outside. “So we look forward to the coming of the new administration. We have a lot of business to do on behalf of our states. We are happy to meet with the president here.”
Most journalists were not invited to the proceedings, but cameras were brought in for part of the time. This allowed Trump to answer a series of questions from a Fox News Channel reporter.
He argued everything to be his wish The US controls Greenland has Parade of technological company managers Those who have come to visit Florida since Election Day, to his threats Impose heavy tariffs on Canada.
The president-elect also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants to meet, and we are forming.”
The dinner came after Trump held a lengthy meeting with Republican senators on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Trump described the discussions with his senators as a “love fest,” but added, “This is also a love fest.”
“Governors aren’t exactly chopped liver,” he said with a laugh.
Trump also renewed earlier vows to cooperate with leaders in blue states, saying, “We want to get along with the Democrats. I’m trying to be nice.”
Gianforte said many of the governors in attendance were concerned about “overreach” by the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal entities under the president. Joe Bidenadding, “I know every governor standing here has expressed frustration.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — Trump’s primary GOP presidential rival in last year’s primaries — was asked about the president-elect criticizing sharply Gavin Newsom Democratic Governor of California catastrophic fires rage through Los Angeles.
DeSantis blamed the media for what he said was unnecessarily fueling controversy and political division, adding that Trump will work effectively with states, whether red or blue.
“I worked well with Biden, in his time, on natural disasters, and I worked well with Donald Trump,” DeSantis said, referring to the hurricanes that have hit Florida and the deadly collapse of a beachfront home in Surfside in 2021. So I’m very confident, as a state that knows — we’re dealing with these — that the Trump administration is going to be very strong and be there for the people no matter what. party”.
That was one of the questions Trump answered Thursday drones are often seen they have been in the headlines for the last few weeks, but recently they have seen a decrease in attention. This prompted several governors around the table to express concern that these planes could carry out attacks on military or other secure areas.
“They don’t want to talk about it,” Trump said, repeating his assertion in the past that the government may be covering up something on the matter. He promised to shed more light after Inauguration Day on January 20.
“We’ll find out on the 21st,” he said. “You must give me some time after the inauguration. But shortly after that I will give you a report on it. We will tell you exactly what it is.”
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