Ex-DeSantis aides 'quietly guiding' Trump super PAC: report

When Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' 2024 presidential bid ended earlier this year, two Republicans leading his campaign moved on to support the GOP leader's rival — Donald Trump.

According to a Tuesday New York Times report, Generra Peck and Phil Cox "are quietly guiding" the former president's America PAC, which is also backed by X owner Elon Musk.

Last July, NBC News reported, "Peck, who guided DeSantis’ successful run for a second term as governor last year," had "no experience as a presidential campaign manager and" headed "a widely criticized launch that" caused a few DeSantis donors to halt their donations.

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The Times noted in a December report that Cox at one point left his "top role" leading DeSantis' Never Back Down super PAC when another GOP strategist, Jeff Roe, took "control of the group." Despite the fact the governor "was said not to have been pleased with Mr. Cox at various points," he "informally" rejoined the PAC a couple of months before DeSantis' campaign ended.

The Times reports:

[Trump's America PAC] "has taken pains to be secretive. Joe Lonsdale, an Austin-based tech entrepreneur, has played a key role in the group, recruiting many of his friends — including the Jimmy John’s founder, John Liautaud; Antonio Gracias, a former director of Tesla; and the Craft family of Kentucky — to help fund the effort. Mr. Musk, who recently endorsed former President Donald J. Trump and is a friend of Mr. Lonsdale, has described himself as having “created” the group and is expected to donate, but the amount remains unclear.

Per the report, Musk said on Monday "that he was connected to the group, saying that he created it in part to serve as a moderating influence in politics."

The billionaire, as well as other donors backing the group claim the PAC "is not meant to be partisan but merely aims to deliver a ground game that ensures a 'fairly conducted' election, according to one donor to the organization."

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The New York Times' full report is available here (subscription required).