He was DeSantis' ‘bulldog.' Will Trump help Florida's attorney general stick around?
In just a few years, Uthmeier went from general counsel to chief of staff then campaign manager in the final months of DeSantis' ill-fated run for president. After returning to his chief of staff post in early 2024, Uthmeier then assisted the governor's successful campaigns against two ballot initiatives dealing with abortion and marijuana access.
'Working overtime courting everyone'
Uthmeier, a native of Destin who once contemplated running for Congress, has never run for office before. When he was first appointed state attorney general, there was plenty of speculation about other Florida Republicans prepared to challenge him — possibly with the backing of Trump.
'I've been told James is very much on the bad list,' one Florida Republican operative said earlier this year.
But it's clear that Uthmeier is already trying to smooth his path to the Republican nomination next year. And a Trump endorsement would be widely viewed as further chilling any competition for the August 2026 primary.
This past spring, for example, Uthmeier, a graduate of the University of Florida, attended a Gators basketball game with state Sen. Joe Gruters of Sarasota, a longtime Trump ally who has clashed with DeSantis.
'The attorney general has been working overtime courting everyone,' said Max Goodman, a Republican consultant and longtime adviser to Gruters. 'He understands the significance of a Trump endorsement and whether that gets him crossways with the governor is a risk he's clearly willing to take.'
Other Uthmeier backers have strong connections to both Trump and DeSantis. U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, for example, is among those who have bent the president's ear about Uthmeier and how committed he is to his agenda, according to four lobbyists and GOP consultants granted anonymity to relay private conversations.
'Witkoff and James worked together to bring the president and governor together after the election,' said one Florida Republican lobbyist. 'That relationship has flourished ever since.'
During a brief one-on-one following Trump's roundtable at Alligator Alcatraz, Uthmeier told Trump, 'I've got your back,' according to a person familiar with the conversation granted anonymity to detail a private conversation. The comment is notable, as NBC News previously reported that some in the Trump administration were upset DeSantis did a walk-through of the site with 'Fox & Friends' days before Trump's visit. Three people familiar with the situation confirmed this did create 'tension' because the White House wanted it to remain unseen until federal officials were there in person.
Asked about the interaction, a White House official responded that Trump was 'grateful to work with [Homeland Security] Secretary Noem and local officials on this important project to get dangerous criminals out of American communities.'
When asked about the effort to win over Trump, Kayla Little, a spokesperson for Uthmeier's campaign, did not directly answer the question. Instead, Little pointed to Uthmeier's previous work for Trump and said, 'James maintains great working relationships with the current Trump administration and in his capacity as AG he has worked closely with numerous Trump officials to help deliver on the president's agenda.'
Angling for the big endorsement
Trump just last week called DeSantis his 'friend' despite their 2024 rivalry. But navigating the politics to angle for an endorsement is tricky for Uthmeier, as several GOP insiders say there are still some wounds between Trump's inner circle and DeSantis.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Republican Senate candidates seeking to replace McConnell aim to define themselves at Fancy Farm
Republican Senate candidates seeking to replace McConnell aim to define themselves at Fancy Farm FANCY FARM, Ky. (AP) — A renowned Kentucky picnic turned into a rapid-fire Republican political skirmish on Saturday, as three candidates competing to succeed longtime U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell tried to pick apart one another while seeking early momentum in their 2026 primary campaign. Taking the stage amid milder-than-usual temperatures at the Fancy Farm picnic in western Kentucky, the GOP rivals — U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron and entrepreneur Nate Morris — turned up the heat in vying for the coveted Senate seat. Each tried to define himself and their opponents while speaking before a raucous crowd and a statewide TV audience. Barr and Cameron ripped into Morris' business record as founder of a waste software company and questioned Morris' credibility as a supporter of President Donald Trump's MAGA movement. 'Nate will do anything and say anything to run away from his past,' Cameron said. 'You can't claim to be MAGA when you build a company on ESG subsidies and DEI initiatives." Barr quipped: 'Nate calls himself the trash man, but dumpster fire is more like it.' Morris — who is campaigning as a populist and political outsider — kept up his strategy of harshly criticizing McConnell's legacy and trying to link Barr and Cameron to the venerable senator. 'If you want to know how Andy Barr or Daniel Cameron are going to act in the U.S. Senate – look no further than their 'mentor' Mitch McConnell,' Morris said. 'Both of these guys are very proud to tell you they wouldn't have careers if it weren't for Mitch,' Morris added. "Neither of these guys have built anything, done anything impactful, employed anyone.' McConnell, a Fancy Farm participant for decades, didn't delve into the Senate race during his picnic speech Saturday. But he gave a spirited summary of his Senate career in a speech to a GOP breakfast gathering Saturday. He pointed to his record of steering enormous sums of federal funds to his home state to build or fix infrastructure, support agriculture and military installations and more. McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history, revealed in February, on his 83rd birthday, that he won't seek another term in Kentucky and will retire when his current term ends. With Democrats mostly skipping the picnic's political speeches, the crowd was divided among supporters of GOP candidates, cheering their favorite and jeering rival candidates. Speaking at Fancy Farm — where picnic organizers like to say the mouthwatering barbecue is hot and the political rhetoric even spicier — is considered a rite of passage for candidates seeking statewide office in the GOP-leaning Bluegrass State. Kentucky's 2026 primary election is next spring. Beside hurling insults at their rivals, the Senate candidates tried to define themselves at the picnic. Barr portrayed his congressional experience as an advantage setting him apart. He represents a district stretching from central Kentucky's bluegrass region to the Appalachian foothills. Barr said he helped shape and pass Trump's massive tax cut and spending reduction legislation. 'Some politicians like to say 'I'm a Trump guy,' " Barr said. 'They talk about supporting the president. But I'm the only candidate in this race who's actually doing it -- day in and day out in Congress.' Cameron, who is Black, used his speech to rail against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Cameron said he and his wife want their sons to 'grow up in a colorblind society, one based on merit and opportunity, not division and handouts. We don't need America built on diversity, equity and inclusion. We need America built on merit, excellence and intelligence.' Morris touted his hard-line stance on immigration. He supports a moratorium on immigration into the United States until every immigrant currently in the country illegally is deported. The three GOP rivals kept to one script they have all shared — lavishing praise on Trump. One of the biggest questions in the campaign is whether Trump will make an endorsement, seen as potentially decisive in determining who wins the primary. Democratic Senate candidate Pamela Stevenson was invited but opted to skip the picnic. Kentucky hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate since Wendell Ford in 1992. The lone Democratic candidate who spoke at the picnic on Saturday was congressional candidate John 'Drew' Williams. Bruce Schreiner, The Associated Press
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump signals break with Netanyahu on Gaza hunger crisis
President Trump on Monday signaled a break with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Trump acknowledged there was 'real starvation' happening. Trump told reporters during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that he did 'not particularly' agree with Netanyahu's claim that there was no starvation happening in Gaza, which has been devastated by Israel's war against Hamas. The president also said the U.S. would take a more active role in getting food into the region. Still, Trump has not gone as far as some European leaders in calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state. And he has largely stopped short of outright criticizing Israel for its role in preventing aid from getting to Palestinians. 'I mean, based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry,' Trump told reporters when asked about Netanyahu's claim. Starmer, standing beside Trump after the two greeted each other in Scotland, called the situation in Gaza, in which photos of malnourished children amid reports of 1 in 3 people going multiple days without eating show a crisis coming to a head, 'absolutely intolerable' and 'revolting.' Trump and his administration have been involved in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, but so far no agreements have stuck. Trump recently put the blame on Hamas as the obstacle to a deal. But the president has also routinely shown frustration with Netanyahu, with their bond being tested before over the continued fighting with the two leaders' opposing assessments of starvation in the enclave as the latest example. 'He certainly seemed to have a different view of what's happening on the ground in Gaza with respect to starvation or massive hunger,' said Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 'He also seemed to open the door for potential increase in funding or maybe a new approach,' Yacoubian added. 'But whether that actually translates into something is a whole other question because we've certainly seen the president state a position then within 24 hours take a completely different view.' Trump did succeed in getting Netanyahu to pull back fighter jets heading for Iran after he claimed success in a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Trump also went around Netanyahu to free an American-Israeli hostage held by Hamas and came to a deal with the Houthis in Yemen to halt attacks on ships in the Red Sea. In May, Trump's ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, announced the U.S. would take the lead in getting aid into Gaza amid an Israeli blockade. Israel came around in supporting the American-founded Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as the sole distributor of aid in the strip. But the GHF has come under intense scrutiny as contributing to the chaos and instability around aid distribution: Hungry Palestinians report being shot at by the Israeli military, there are accusations that GHF contractors are using live ammunition, and the crowded and unsafe conditions have led to injuries and death. 'Since this GHF scheme began, public reports have found that more than 700 starving people have been killed and nearly 5,000 injured while desperately seeking food at or near often chaotic GHF distribution sites,' a group of Senate Democrats wrote Monday, calling for the administration to answer questions about the group's funding and operations. 'The U.S. government must stop facilitating the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation operations and use U.S. leverage to urge the Netanyahu government to revert to the UN-led mechanism, both for the safety and well-being of Palestinians in Gaza and to preserve humanitarian principles that have existed for decades.' Trump's criticism of the humanitarian situation in Gaza came after Israel announced over the weekend it would take more steps to improve Palestinians' access to food, responding to growing international outrage blaming Israel for the food crisis. Israel in March imposed a blockade on Gaza, blocking humanitarian supplies and other goods from getting into the strip. Still, Jerusalem focused blame on the United Nations and other international organizations as failing to pick up pallets of food and Hamas as bearing sole responsibility for the suffering in the strip. U.N. officials and aid organizations argue that food distribution efforts are too dangerous without meaningful coordination with Israel inside the strip. 'When bureaucratic and political hurdles are lifted, the humanitarian community has demonstrated it can deliver assistance at scale, in a dignified way, without diversion. During the ceasefire fire in earlier this year, we succeeded to reverse the deepening hunger,' Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of UNRWA, the U.N. refugee agency for Palestinians, posted Friday on social platform X. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Saturday it would begin airdrops of food, temporarily halt fighting and open up designated humanitarian corridors 'to enable the safe movement of UN convoys delivering food and medicine to the population.' 'We call on the UN and its affiliated organizations to cooperate with this IDF effort and cease forthwith its tendentious policy of boycotting any effort that reverses its traditional mechanism of allowing the massive diversion of aid into the hands of Hamas,' Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter said in a statement Sunday. Trump last Friday largely did not engage with questions about the crisis playing out in Gaza, instead repeatedly blaming Hamas for peace talks faltering and suggesting Israel would have to 'finish the job.' But his tone changed Monday when he met with Starmer, who much more forcefully called the situation in Gaza 'absolutely intolerable.' Trump told reporters while sitting next to Starmer during a meeting that the U.S. would work to set up 'food centers' in Gaza. He did not provide specifics on whether the U.S. would be involved on the ground or if a third party organization would assist, but he indicated it would be a joint effort with other nations. 'I know your nation's joining us, and we have all of the European nations joining us, and others also called and they want to be helpful. So we're going to set up food centers and where the people can walk in and no boundaries. We're not going to have fences,' Trump said. 'It's going to be working with the United States. We'll be helping with the food … and we're going to bring it over there, and we're also going to make sure they don't have barriers stopping people,' Trump said when asked how the food centers would work. Pressed on whether Israel, which has placed restrictions on aid getting into Gaza for months, can do more to get food to Palestinians, Trump said he thought Israel 'can do a lot' before accusing Iran of derailing ceasefire talks despite his administration touting Tehran's weakening following attacks by Israel. Trump and Netanyahu have generally had a strong relationship despite the occasional hiccup. Trump has called for the corruption trial against Netanyahu to be canceled, while the Israeli leader presented Trump a letter nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize during a recent White House visit. Swaths of the Republican Party are also staunchly pro-Israel, and it's unclear if there will be a sustained break between Trump and Netanyahu that would lead to a dramatic change in U.S. policy. But there are signs parts of Trump's base are growing frustrated with Israel, with the images coming out of Gaza adding to their calls for change. Theo Von, who hosts one of the most popular podcasts in the country and has hosted both Trump and Vice President Vance on his show, posted a plea on social media Sunday asking the president and other leaders to do more to get aid into Gaza. 'Children are starving to death!! We are America. This isnt about politics. This is about humanity,' Von posted on X. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Sunday called the situation in Gaza 'horrific.' 'I can unequivocally say that what happened to innocent people in Israel on Oct 7th was horrific,' Greene posted on X, referring to the date of Hamas's deadly terrorist attacks against Israel in 2023. 'Just as I can unequivocally say that what has been happening to innocent people and children in Gaza is horrific,' she added. 'This war and humanitarian crisis must end!' Matt Gaetz, the former Republican congressman from Florida who withdrew as Trump's nominee for attorney general, on Friday hosted on his show on One America News Network an Israeli father of a hostage held by Hamas. The father was calling for the U.S. to condition aid to Israel to get to a ceasefire with Hamas and criticized Netanyahu as 'not acting in a responsible way' 'Incredible statement,' Gaetz wrote on X accompanying a clip of the interview. Gaetz had earlier criticized Israel for failing to investigate the death of an American Palestinian allegedly killed in a confrontation with Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump: Aug. 1 tariff deadline ‘stands strong'
President Trump on Wednesday indicated there would be no extensions of the deadline at the end of the week, when steep tariffs are set to go into effect on many nations. 'The August first deadline is the August first deadline — It stands strong, and will not be extended. A big day for America!!!' Trump posted on Truth Social. Trump has issued letters to more than a dozen countries informing them of tariff rates they will face to export their goods into the United States beginning Aug. 1. Those include a 25 percent tariff on India, a 35 percent tariff on Bangladesh and a 50 percent tariff on Brazil, among others. The White House has struck deals with a handful of other countries to set lower tariff rates, including with Japan, the European Union, Indonesia and the United Kingdom. Critics have argued the details around those agreements are still scarce and have noted that the tariff rate those countries will pay, while lower than an initial threat, is still higher than it was before Trump took office. The timing and severity of tariffs on other nations have been shifting targets since Trump took office, after he vowed on the campaign trail to aggressively impose duties on imports. He has repeatedly threatened tariffs on other nations, only to back off or delay their imposition. The president on April 2 announced 'reciprocal' tariffs on dozens of other countries, using trade deficits to help calculate the tariff rate. But a week later, he lowered those rates to 10 percent for 90 days as markets reacted negatively, giving time for negotiations. The 90-day window was set to expire in early July, only for Trump to set a new deadline of Aug. 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
