A year and a half ago, Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis were locked in a bruising primary battle that left scars across the Republican field. Now, they’re laughing together in the Florida Everglades, celebrating the rapid construction of “Alligator Alcatraz,” a new migrant detention center surrounded by swamp and gators, and a key piece of Trump’s escalating immigration crackdown.

“This is going to be a force multiplier,” DeSantis told Fox News, praising the facility built in just eight days under his emergency powers, with the Trump administration’s backing. Trump, standing beside the Florida governor and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, joked that their relationship is “a 10—maybe 9.9 because, you know, might be a couple of little wounds.”

DeSantis, once Trump’s strongest Republican rival, saw his 2024 presidential bid collapse after a disappointing finish in Iowa. He quickly endorsed Trump, raising millions for the campaign and delivering a well-received speech at the Republican National Convention. Since then, DeSantis has become a key ally in Trump’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, signing tough new laws and aligning Florida’s approach with federal enforcement priorities.

Trump’s visit to “Alligator Alcatraz” underscored their renewed alliance. The facility symbolizes Trump’s message that the only exit for illegal migrants is deportation, with DeSantis adding that Trump “wants to be helpful for governors” and can “call him anytime.” The president, meanwhile, highlighted that “Ron and I have had a really great relationship for a long period of time,” despite a brief “off period” during the campaign.

Yet, tensions still simmer beneath the surface. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, once a DeSantis advisor, remains wary of the governor, and Trump has already endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds to replace DeSantis in 2026, even as Florida’s First Lady Casey DeSantis considers a bid of her own.

The alliance between Trump and DeSantis may prove critical as the president’s immigration crackdown accelerates and the GOP eyes further consolidation of power in Florida. DeSantis, eager to cement his legacy before term limits force him out, appears ready to deliver for Trump as they look to shape the next phase of Republican leadership.

Standing together in the swamp, Trump and DeSantis are projecting a unified front that could reshape 2026, even as old rivalries and future ambitions linger beneath the smiles.