Sources familiar with the matter said Trump spoke with Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, a longtime Greitens foe, who warned that supporting the former governor would irreparably damage his relationship with top Senate Republicans. Hawley, who endorsed Rep. Vicky Hartzler in the primary, and others have long warned the former president that Greitens’ baggage makes him unelectable, potentially giving Democrats a pickup in a heavily Republican state. Trump also spoke to Florida Sen. Rick Scott, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, several times Monday, according to two people familiar with their calls. Scott previously expressed concern about Greitens’ electability during an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt last December, acknowledging the “real concerns that [Greitens] may not be able to win in the general” that have been circulating in GOP circles. During his conversations with Scott and others, Trump was warned that the party’s campaign machinery would not financially support Greitens if he ran. [Trump] he should support Greitens himself,” a source said. Although Trump has amassed a war chest of about $121 million between his four political action committees, he has contributed only a fraction of that fortune to midterm candidates so far this cycle. A current Trump adviser said the former president was annoyed that his $500,000 donation to a group supporting Georgia GOP gubernatorial candidate David Perdue didn’t move the needle in his primary against incumbent Brian Kemp and was hesitant to hold a Greitens campaign. floats in a general election contest. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Rona McDaniel had traveled to Bedminster for a long-scheduled meeting with the former president Monday afternoon when she too was pressed for her opinion on Missouri’s competitive Senate race. Trump asked McDaniel if she had any thoughts on the public polls surrounding the Missouri primary and her general view of the race. McDaniel echoed others in warning Trump that Greitens was the only candidate who would make the race competitive for the party, according to a person familiar with their conversation, part of which occurred while Kimberly Guilfoyle was in the room. Guilfoyle, who is engaged to Trump’s oldest son, is an adviser to Greitens and has spent months pushing the former President to endorse him as the true MAGA nominee. Longtime Trump campaign pollster John McLaughlin issued a similar warning during a separate conversation with Trump, according to the person familiar, telling the former president he didn’t think Greitens would be a good candidate at the end of the day. The last-minute lobbying marked the culmination of weeks of behind-the-scenes pressure from advisers and allies in the former president’s orbit, sources told CNN. Advisers had told Trump long before Tuesday’s primaries that for his endorsement to make a difference, he would have to announce much earlier. As primary day approached, many in Trump’s inner circle believed he had decided to drop out of the race. The buzz surrounding the Missouri GOP primary began to die down by last weekend as allies, operatives and advisers descended on Trump’s club in Bedminster, New Jersey for the LIV golf tournament. Guilfoyle was among those who spearheaded the former President’s push to endorse Greitens, who had sought Trump’s support for more than a year. The former President spoke with both Greitens and Schmidt in the hours before making his announcement. Two sources close to Trump suggested the omission of his name from the endorsement was deliberate to avoid throwing his full weight behind Greitens. Afterward, both Greitens and Schmidt sought to claim Trump’s endorsement. Greitens said he was “honored to receive” Trump’s endorsement, calling himself “the true MAGA warrior” in the race. For his part, Schmidt said he was “truly honored” to have Trump’s endorsement, referring to himself as “the only America First candidate in the race.” Details of Trump’s behind-the-scenes lobbying were first reported by Politico.
