The ancient Rivaux Trump and Desantis present a renewed unit in the facilities of Florida

They were republican rivals Amers a year and a half ago, but President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron Desantis were all smiles this week, when the two seemed side by side for the opening of a new migrant detention center in the Everglades.

“The relationship between the governor and the president is fantastic,” said Desantis communications director Bryan Griffin to Fox News Digital.

Griffin spoke with Fox News Digital the day after Trump and Desantis, with the interior security secretary, Kristi Noem, visited what is called “Alligator Alacatraz”, a quickly built detention center on a distant ventilation track surrounded by infested swamps from Alligator.

Desantis, the conservative governor with two mandates who ran without success against Trump for the presidential appointment of the GOP 2024, used emergency powers to grasp the land and accelerated construction of the installation, with the encouragement of Trump and his administration.

Trump only boasts of “Alligator Alcatraz” is the expulsion

President Donald Trump is greeted by Governor Ron Desantis when he arrives at “Alligator Alcatraz”, a new migrant detention center in Dade-Colier Training and Transition Facility, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Ochopee, Florida. (AP photo / Evan VUCCI)

“Ron worked beautifully with Kristi (Noem) and all the people of Homeland Security and did it in how many days, Ron?” Trump said by turning to the governor while answering journalists’ questions.

“Eight days, a new installation was operational,” replied Desantis.

Fox News takes you inside ‘Alligator Alcatraz’

After his 2022 re -election landslide, Desantis headed for the race for the republican presidential appointment of 2024 and officially launched his candidacy for the White House in the spring of 2023.

But even before he announced his candidacy, Desantis has been attacked several times by Trump and his political allies.

The governor’s long -term targeting has been successful. Desantis was considered Trump’s main threat in the field of republican hopes of the White House. But the governor saw his support deteriorate, and he ended his presidential candidacy in January of last year, after a disappointing second place in the caucus of Iowa, far behind Trump.

Florida governor Ron Desantis during his campaign for the republican presidential appointment of 2024, August 6, 2023 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Scott Olson / Getty Images)

Desantis immediately approved Trump, helped collect funds for the then president of the then president and delivered a speech well received last summer at the National Republican Convention in Milwuakee, Wisconsin.

Asked about his relationship with Desantis, Trump told journalists: “I would say it’s a 10. I think it’s a 10”, before adding “maybe 9.9 because, you know, could be some small injuries.”

Desantis takes a tour of victory on the major Florida immigration legislation

Desantis was extremely aggressive to help Trump in his repression of immigration.

The governor signed rigorous immigration measures earlier this year, after a compromise with the Republican leaders of the Florida Legislative Assembly, which ended a confrontation on the bills in duel.

“It will be a force multiplier,” said Desantis at Fox News at the end of last week. “We are happy to work with the federal government to satisfy President Trump’s mandate.”

And the governor, during his interview with Fox News, suggested that the president visits the establishment.

“An invitation from me: we can land Air Force a just there,” said Desantis. “I think the president would be impressed by what the guys do here.”

Trump, during the event, stressed that “Ron and I had a very good relationship for a long time. We had a little delay for a few days, but it did not last long.”

The president added that he and the governor have “a lot of respect for each other”.

Desantis has praised the praise, noting that “you can call it (Trump) at any time and that it wants to be useful for governors”.

President Donald Trump shares a laugh with Governor Ron Desantis at “Alligator Alcatraz” on Tuesday July 1, 2025 in Ochopee, Florida. (AP photo / Evan VUCCI)

But some personalities of Trump’s political orbit, including the chief of staff of the White House, Susie Wiles, can always have unflattering opinions of the governor.

Wiles was once a political advisor to Desantitis before a very bitter that falls.

And in a sign of political friction, the representative of Trump, Byron Donalds of Florida, also attended the event on Tuesday.

Donalds earlier this year launched an offer to succeed the limited duration of Desantis in the elections of governors in 2026 in Florida, and he won Trump’s approval before even announced his candidacy.

The wife of Desantis, the first lady of Florida, Casey Desantis, thought about a race for her own governor, and her husband earlier this year said that she would be a worthy successor.

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Journalists asked if Casey Desantis should go to the post of governor, the president would only say “we get along very well”.

Ron Desantis quickly intervened, noting that “I approved it immediately, in January 2024. I collected one of his CAPs to millions and millions of dollars”.