Top DeSantis donor pulling away from him, is considering giving money to Trump

"I’d want somebody that would be a hell of an ass kicker if he needed to be," Bigelow said during the interview.

Published: November 9, 2023 8:38pm

Updated: November 9, 2023 8:46pm

The top donor to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's presidential campaign is considering giving to former President Donald Trump instead, according to reports.

“I’ve got to look at who would probably be the strongest commander, with the most experience ... And that’s only one guy,” real estate tycoon Robert Bigelow told The Financial Times in a recent interview.

Trump is currently leading in the majority of the 2024 GOP presidential primary polls.

“Who would you want as a commander?" Bigelow said during the interview. "I’d want somebody that would be a hell of an ass kicker if he needed to be. On the face of it, you lean toward Trump.”

He did say that he would not give Trump any money if he goes to prison.

"I'm pro-Trump. Right now I'm determined to remain on the sidelines for the time being to see how these prosecutions play out," Bigelow told Reuters. "I have to be sure that he does not have a position where the prosecution has a path to send him to jail."

Trump is currently facing multiple prosecutions and criminal charges. He has pleaded not guilty to all of them, stating that they are politically motivated.

Bigelow may be part of a larger trend, as Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus, one of the GOP's most influential donors, endorsed Trump on Thursday.