Former President Donald Trump is ratcheting up the temperature in his fight with Republican Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who is in charge of a key swing state that Trump will likely need to win the presidency in November.
The feud escalated during a recent press conference. When asked about improving his relationship with Kemp, Trump said that the Georgia governor was “doing terribly” and credited himself with getting Kemp elected.
Press Conference
On August 8, Trump hosted a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate that touched on a wide range of topics during its 65-minute runtime.
The lengthy conference allowed Trump to get in jabs at his political rivals, taking time to taunt Vice President Kamala Harris for not taking media interviews, calling her “nasty” and “not smart.”
Comments on Kemp
At one point during the press conference, Trump was asked if there was any way that he could improve his relationship with Georgia’s Governor, to which Trump answered with derision.
“I don’t know if I can or not. I got him elected. Without me, he wouldn’t be governor. I got him elected, he was doing terribly,” Trump said. “When you get someone elected, they’re supposed to like you.”
Battleground State
Trump, aware that Georgia is a key battleground state in the upcoming presidential contest, asserted that he was “leading by a lot” in the state.
Some worry that Trump, who lost Georgia to Biden in 2020, is risking his small lead in the state by publicly feuding with the state’s Republican governor.
History With Kemp
In 2018, Trump endorsed Kemp during his run for Governor, calling him “tough on crime, strong on the border, and illegal immigration.”
Trump urged his supporters in Georgia to vote for Kemp, saying at the time he gave him a “full and total endorsement.”
Relationship Struggles
However, the relationship between the two men soured when in 2020 Trump allegedly called the Georgia Secretary of Brad Raffensperger state to help him “find” votes to give him victory over Biden.
Trump also called Kemp to demand he overturn the state’s election results, citing allegations of fraud, a demand which Kemp refused.
Punishing Kemp
As seeming retaliation for Kemp’s refusal, Trump in 2021 was complimentary to the governor’s opponent Stacey Abrams despite her being a Democrat, practically endorsing her over him.
“Stacey, would you like to take his [Kemp’s] place? It’s OK with me,” Trump said. “Of course, having her, I think, might be better than having your existing governor, if you want to know what I think. Might very well be better.”
Making Up
In 2022, Trump was back to praising Kemp ahead of the mid-term elections, including the Georgia governor in the candidates he was urging his supporters to vote for. However, this praise came after a failed primary challenge Trump supported that aimed to unseat the governor with former Senator David Perdue.
In an Ohio rally just before the election, Trump declared his support for Kemp by telling voters to elect “Brian Kemp for governor in Georgia.”
Kemp Supporting Trump
In 2023, Kemp reciprocated Trump’s support for him by declaring that he would vote for the former president in the 2024 election, though alluded to their pair’s troubled history.
“Despite all of that, despite all of his other trials and tribulations, he would still be a lot better than Biden,” Kemp said. “And the people serving in the administration would be a lot better than Joe Biden.”
Escalating the Feud
Despite likely needing the electoral votes from Georgia for the November election, Trump has recently renewed and escalated attacks against the governor.
In an August 3 rally in Atlanta, he called Kemp “Little Brian” and accused him, his wife, and Raffensperger of being “disloyal.”
Attacking Kemp’s Wife
During the August 3 rally, Trump was dismissive of Kemp’s wife, saying he didn’t need her endorsement to win. “I don’t want her endorsement. I don’t want his endorsement. I just want them to do their job for Georgia,” Trump said. “In my opinion, they want us to lose.”
This move to target Kemp’s spouse prompted criticism from many, including some Republicans. “The most popular Republican in Georgia…bar none. Proud of our great, conservative Governor and our lovely First Lady,” said Republican state representative Jesse Petrea in the governor’s defense.
Leave My Family Out of It
In response to Trump’s August 3 comments, Kemp made an X post demanding Trump rise above petty insults.
“My focus is on winning this November and saving our country from Kamala Harris and the Democrats — not engaging in petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or dwelling on the past. You should do the same, Mr. President, and leave my family out of it,” Kemp wrote.
