Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s latest fundraising effort centered around DOGE has unexpectedly intersected with an escalating conflict between former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. The timing of the fundraising message has drawn attention from Republican circles, particularly among MAGA supporters who interpreted it as DeSantis taking sides in the dispute.
According to Politico, the fundraising pitch, sent through text and email by DeSantis’s political committee, called for supporters to “help elect real conservatives who will finish the job” of the Department of Government Efficiency efforts. The message was distributed just as Trump and Musk engaged in a heated exchange over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on social media.
The committee’s message specifically highlighted how Musk “stood tall and took the hits,” a statement that gained additional significance amid the deteriorating relationship between Trump and the Tesla CEO. However, Taryn Fenske, spokesperson for DeSantis’s political operation, clarified that the fundraising language had been approved on May 29, before the current dispute erupted.
Relations between DeSantis, Trump, and Musk become increasingly complex
The situation has highlighted the delicate balance DeSantis must maintain in his relationships with both Trump and Musk. The Florida governor, who launched his 2024 presidential campaign with Musk’s support on X Spaces, has been working to repair his relationship with Trump following their competition for the Republican presidential nomination.
Yeah except you got the sequence of events wrong.
— JDW
Trump’s 2016 Presidential run is what kicked off this chain of events that led to the creation of Doge.
Without Trump there wouldn’t be a governor Desantis. Without Trumo there wouldn’t be DOGE.(@JDW604) June 6, 2025
DeSantis has demonstrated his alignment with DOGE initiatives, proudly noting that Florida was “DOGE before DOGE was cool” and highlighting the state’s return of federal dollars in February. He has also been vocal about his frustrations with Congress’s lack of progress on DOGE cuts, expressing disappointment that “not one cent in DOGE cuts have been implemented by the Congress” despite Republican control.
The timing of the fundraising message has raised concerns among Republican donors, with some worried that the DOGE-focused fundraising could “piss off Trump.” This comes at a particularly sensitive time as the feud between Trump and Musk has escalated to include discussions about government subsidies and references to Jeffrey Epstein’s investigation files.
The situation reflects broader challenges within the Republican party, as noted by a GOP operative who spoke anonymously, describing both Musk and DeSantis as having “checkered national reputations among MAGA base.” The operative also pointed to their recent campaign failures, with Musk in Wisconsin and DeSantis in the GOP primary, suggesting difficulties in forming a traditionally conservative populist coalition.
The fundraising effort also signals DeSantis’s potential involvement in the 2026 primary and general elections, with his political committee, Restore Our Nation, being repurposed following his unsuccessful presidential campaign. Despite his proven fundraising abilities, DeSantis’s political future remains uncertain amid Republican strife in Florida and an abundance of Trump-aligned candidates for 2028.
