Two weeks ago, the ultimate establishment Republican, Karl Rove, met with Donald Trump in Manhattan, giving rise to speculation that Rove might aid Trump with fund-raising, something Trump badly needs despite his boasts of using his own personal wealth to run a campaign.
Rove met with Trump at the behest of Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn, who hosted the two men at his home, according to The New York Times.
Although the two men may have effected a rapprochement, after Rove’s consistent insults directed at Trump during the campaign ( “a complete idiot” “graceless and divisive”). Rove later slammed Trump’s performance at a news conference, saying, “I’m not certain it helps him with the people who are swing voters, up for grabs, and it certainly is very unpresidential. It would not be a good spectacle for our country to have a President Trump acting like candidate Trump acted yesterday.”
Still, Rove has connections to super PACs and key donors like Sheldon Adelson, who has already hinted he would give Trump $100 million. The Times reported, “Mr. Rove has talked with Mr. Adelson about what super PAC to use as a vehicle for donating such a large sum of money to support Mr. Trump, including possibly using the Crossroads fund-raising groups, which he helped establish, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.”
The two men have a contentious history; Rove wrote about Trump in April that he was “a petty man consumed by resentment and bitterness who finds satisfaction in sowing, rather than in healing, divisions.”
“A petty man consumed by resentment and bitterness who finds satisfaction in sowing, rather than in healing, divisions.”
Karl Rove describing Donald Trump in April
In February, Rove hinted Trump’s campaign might have plateaued, prompting Trump to tweet, “@KarlRove on @FoxNews is working hard to belittle my victory. Rove is sick!”
In March, Rove pointed out that Trump’s favorability numbers were “staggeringly bad.” Rove wrote about Trump in April that he was “a petty man consumed by resentment and bitterness who finds satisfaction in sowing, rather than in healing, divisions.”