PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump hosted 22 of the nation’s 27 Republican governors for dinner at his Florida club on Thursday night, looking to help drive the agenda in conservative-run states after he takes office in 11 days.
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte told reporters outside the gathering that some of the GOP governors unable to attend were being inaugurated, and that one was delayed by snow and was unable to make it to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. But he said attendees who could come were “thrilled to accept the president-elect’s invitation” and welcomed a coming “collaborative, working relationship, which we have not had for four years” during the Biden administration.
“It’s been a long period without cooperation from Washington,” Gianforte told reporters outside. “So, we’re looking forward to the new administration coming in. We have a lot of business to get done on behalf of our states. We’re just pleased to be here to meet with the president.”
Most reporters weren’t invited to the proceedings, but cameras were allowed inside for part of the time. That allowed Trump to answer a series of questions from a Fox News Channel journalist.
He discussed everything from his desire to have the U.S. take control of Greenland to the parade of technology company leaders who have come to Florida to visit him since Election Day, to his threats to impose steep tariffs on Canada.
The president-elect also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants to meet, and we’re setting it up.”
The dinner came after Trump held a lengthy, closed-door meeting Wednesday with Republican Senators on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Trump described his discussions with his senators, as “a love fest” but added, “This is a love fest, too.”
“The governors aren’t exactly chopped liver,” he said to laughter.
Trump also renewed previous vows to cooperate with leaders in blue states, too, saying, “We want to get along with the Democrats. I’m trying to be nice.”
Gianforte said that many of the governors present were concerned about “overreach” by the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal entities under President Joe Biden, adding, “I know each governor that’s standing up here has expressed frustration.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — Trump’s GOP presidential primary rival in last year’s primary — was asked about the president-elect sharply criticizing Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom as cataclysmic wildfires rage across Los Angeles.
DeSantis blamed the media for what he said was unnecessarily promoting controversy and political division, adding that Trump will collaborate effectively with states regardless of whether they are red or blue.
“I worked well with Biden, during his time, with natural disasters, and I worked well with Donald Trump,” DeSantis said, referring to hurricanes that have hit Florida as well as the deadly collapse of a beachfront condo in Surfside in 2021. “So, I’m very confident, as a state that knows — we face these — that a Trump administration is going to be very strong and going to be there for the people regardless of party.”
One of the questions Trump answered Thursday was about the frequent drone sightings that made headlines in recent weeks, but have seen attention wane more recently. That prompted several of the governors around the table to express concern that such aircraft could make incursions into military or other secure areas.
“They don’t want to talk about it,” Trump said, repeating an assertion he’s made in the past that the government may be covering something up on the issue. He promised to shed more light on it after Inauguration Day on Jan. 20.
“We’re gonna find out on the 21st,” he said. “You have to give me a little time after the Inauguration. But, shortly thereafter, I will give you a report on it. We’ll tell you exactly what it is.”
