Donald Trump opens the doors of his Mar-a-Lago estate/headquarters, dubbed as “The Winter White House,” to Republican politicians.
On Thursday, the president-elect will host all GOP governors, whose loyalty the MAGA leader apparently wishes to reward and encourage, for dinner. As revealed by Politico, Trump is well aware that the governors could prove crucial in bringing to fruition one of the most talked-about plans of the last campaign, that concerning the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.
This plan, which is likely to meet resistance from Democratic-led states, will require significant coordination between the parties as well as the use of state resources.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis, a rival at first and then again an ally of the president-elect, will also attend this week’s dinner. The latter said Tuesday that he has already talked with Trump about immigration, arguing that the state legislature should be enriched with additional measures to help the president-elect fulfill his plan.
DeSantis further explained that with Trump’s entry into office “we need to be prepared to act.” “I think there needs to be some additional legislation to help complement the federal government’s now newfound appreciation to stop illegal immigration and to hold people accountable”, he finally added.
The meeting with the GOP governors is not the only appointment scheduled at Mar-a-Lago for the next few days. Trump plans to host the entire Senate Republican group at his headquarters, and subsequently, three House groups. For now, the dates for the two dinners have not yet been set: presumably, they will be held before Inauguration Day on Jan. 20.
Trump is eager to celebrate a victory he considers historic and to pay tribute to the senators who helped him achieve it. He also wants to build trust with lawmakers, whom he will surely need if he is to pass his broad agenda. It is notable however, that he has only invited Republican lawmakers to these meetings and parties, suggesting there may be little or no across-the-aisle handshakes or cooperation extended during his administration.
As Axios reported, at these events the president-elect likes to play DJ and and choose the music himself, but probably, the real soundtracks of the upcoming evenings will be his speeches.
