Trump and Kemp Signal Reconciliation in Georgia
The two Republicans made their first joint appearance since 2020.
TroibNews 
Donald Trump and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp made their first joint appearance in four years on Friday, but the event did not suggest a renewed sense of camaraderie.
The former president and the governor of this swing state were together not for a campaign rally ahead of the upcoming election but in front of donations for hurricane and flood victims, addressing reporters after receiving briefings from emergency officials in Evans, Georgia.
While Trump and Kemp maintained a cordial demeanor, Kemp expressed his gratitude for Trump’s visits to Georgia in the past week, which he said helped to “keep a national focus” on the state. In return, Trump—who had publicly criticized Kemp earlier in August—acknowledged Kemp positively for his leadership.
After a handshake and some back-patting, as Kemp stepped away from the podium, a reporter directed a question at Trump.
“What is your relationship like now with Gov. Kemp?” the reporter inquired.
“It’s great,” Trump responded, which led the reporter to note Trump’s past “criticism” of Kemp.
“No, no, no,” Trump insisted. “It’s great. We work together. We’ve always worked together very well. Very, really, well.”
Nevertheless, there was little elaboration on their relationship. During his remarks, Kemp spoke about the destruction he and his wife, Marty, had observed over the previous week, the linemen from different states he had encountered, and the harrowing accounts of loss shared by residents of Georgia. He also mentioned the executive actions he was taking in the aftermath and cited a Bible verse, Galatians 6:9, about perseverance in doing good.
Kemp refrained from intensifying critiques of the federal government’s response, a point often raised by Trump. Instead, he noted that thanks to a call to the White House and FEMA, the federal government expanded the emergency designation from 11 to 45 counties in Georgia.
“What we’re all going through is a living nightmare,” Kemp remarked.
Trump echoed the sentiments regarding the natural disaster’s effects on Georgia and neighboring states, highlighting the funds raised by his campaign donors for relief efforts. In a press conference afterward, Trump criticized the “terrible response from the White House.”
At one point during the event, he stated that hurricane victims would receive better support if he were elected president in November. However, when asked about how the storm damage might affect voting in Georgia and North Carolina, Trump replied that his focus was not on electoral implications.
“I’m not thinking about voters right now, I’m thinking about lives,” Trump explained. “And to be honest, it’s much bigger than anything else. But we’re thinking about lives, a lot of lives lost, a lot of people missing, and that’s what I’d be focused on right now.”
Trump was scheduled to hold a town hall on Friday night in Fayetteville, North Carolina, which is located across the state from the areas affected by the hurricane. He is expected to return to North Carolina next week to visit regions impacted by flooding.
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
The former president and the governor of this swing state were together not for a campaign rally ahead of the upcoming election but in front of donations for hurricane and flood victims, addressing reporters after receiving briefings from emergency officials in Evans, Georgia.
While Trump and Kemp maintained a cordial demeanor, Kemp expressed his gratitude for Trump’s visits to Georgia in the past week, which he said helped to “keep a national focus” on the state. In return, Trump—who had publicly criticized Kemp earlier in August—acknowledged Kemp positively for his leadership.
After a handshake and some back-patting, as Kemp stepped away from the podium, a reporter directed a question at Trump.
“What is your relationship like now with Gov. Kemp?” the reporter inquired.
“It’s great,” Trump responded, which led the reporter to note Trump’s past “criticism” of Kemp.
“No, no, no,” Trump insisted. “It’s great. We work together. We’ve always worked together very well. Very, really, well.”
Nevertheless, there was little elaboration on their relationship. During his remarks, Kemp spoke about the destruction he and his wife, Marty, had observed over the previous week, the linemen from different states he had encountered, and the harrowing accounts of loss shared by residents of Georgia. He also mentioned the executive actions he was taking in the aftermath and cited a Bible verse, Galatians 6:9, about perseverance in doing good.
Kemp refrained from intensifying critiques of the federal government’s response, a point often raised by Trump. Instead, he noted that thanks to a call to the White House and FEMA, the federal government expanded the emergency designation from 11 to 45 counties in Georgia.
“What we’re all going through is a living nightmare,” Kemp remarked.
Trump echoed the sentiments regarding the natural disaster’s effects on Georgia and neighboring states, highlighting the funds raised by his campaign donors for relief efforts. In a press conference afterward, Trump criticized the “terrible response from the White House.”
At one point during the event, he stated that hurricane victims would receive better support if he were elected president in November. However, when asked about how the storm damage might affect voting in Georgia and North Carolina, Trump replied that his focus was not on electoral implications.
“I’m not thinking about voters right now, I’m thinking about lives,” Trump explained. “And to be honest, it’s much bigger than anything else. But we’re thinking about lives, a lot of lives lost, a lot of people missing, and that’s what I’d be focused on right now.”
Trump was scheduled to hold a town hall on Friday night in Fayetteville, North Carolina, which is located across the state from the areas affected by the hurricane. He is expected to return to North Carolina next week to visit regions impacted by flooding.
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
