I spoke to Maggie Haberman for her New York Times piece with Michael Bender on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ conspicuous decision not to engage or respond to Donald Trump’s recent spate of personal attacks, and when and whether his containment strategy might shift to direct confrontation.

Some deep-pocketed Republican donors have privately expressed concern about how Mr. DeSantis will perform when forced to directly engage with an opponent as combative and unbothered by traditional rules of decorum as Mr. Trump.

“No Republican has ever emerged from an exchange with Donald Trump looking stronger, so the natural tendency is to deflect his attacks and avoid confrontation,” said Liam Donovan, a Republican strategist.

“That’s easy to do, and maybe even wise when his barbs are confined to Truth Social,” Mr. Donovan added, referring to Mr. Trump’s social media site, where he has fired off many of his attacks. “The question is what happens when DeSantis finds himself on a debate stage opposite Trump, and G.O.P. voters want to see whether they are getting what they were promised.”

Read the full piece here.

I spoke to David Freedlander for his POLITICO Magazine story on the nascent 2024 primary and how the GOP establishment might avoid a reprise of the splintered field that delivered the nomination to Donald Trump.

There may be no convening authority, but there are conversations among donors and party activists who point to how on the other side of the aisle, in 2020, nearly the entire remaining Democratic field dropped out almost at the same time and endorsed Biden. Republicans fret that there is no equivalent of a Nancy Pelosi or a Jim Clyburn in their party who can apply pressure to the dreams of would-be presidents. Still, donors are talking now about pooling money together once the primary gets under way in earnest and a true Trump alternative emerges.

“Donors have wised up,” said Liam Donovan, a GOP strategist. “That is the main control mechanism. There is not going to be oxygen for a lot of these guys, and there are not going to be resources.”

There is already some movement along these lines.

Read the full piece here.

Axios’ Sneak Peek newsletter used a tweet of mine for a news item on the GOP’s approach to the Trump 2024 candidacy.

The Atlantic’s McKay Coppins is out with a piece that captures the central theme of the 2024 GOP primary so far:

• The vast majority of Republicans desperately want to move on from Trump, but none seem to know exactly how to get rid of him.
• Their do-nothing strategy is predicated on “hope” that Trump will be taken out by legal troubles, a donor revolt, boredom with politics — or perhaps something more morbid.

Why it matters: The last three election cycles have bolstered the view that Trump is a liability for Republicans, and his behavior is only growing more erratic.

• Republicans may be able to ignore Trump while his grievances are confined to the MAGA echo chamber that is Truth Social, as GOP strategist Liam Donovan points out.
• But that “ostrich routine” will become less sustainable as Trump ramps up his campaign travel and potentially returns to Facebook and Twitter.

Read the full newsletter here.