U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media after disembarking Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., August 11, 2026.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports President Donald Trump is trying to play peacemaker between GOP candidates Rick Jackson and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, personally stepping in to broker a truce after one of the” nastiest Republican primaries for governor in Georgia history.”
Trump called Jones last month and urged him to meet with Jackson, who beat Jones in a ruthless June GOP primary, according to three anonymous sources speaking with AJC. But the tender prodding by Trump appears to only do so much.
“It’s not that easy,” Jones told him, according to the sources. “He spent $150 million trashing me and my family. You wouldn’t like it if they did that to you.”
Jackson won despite Trump’s endorsement of Jones last year.
“The extent of the rupture between the rivals became clear last month when Jones told the Politically Georgia podcast he wasn’t just withholding an endorsement of Jackson. He wouldn’t even commit to voting for him,” reports AJC.
“We’ll see,” Jones said when asked if he’d cast a November ballot for Jackson. “Obviously, I’m interested in supporting and keeping Georgia Republican-run and keeping it red. And I think November is going to be a challenge.”
That is definitely not a “yes,” but Trump hasn’t given up, reports AJC. Sources say the White House is still pressing both camps to “cool tensions” ahead of a tough November race against Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is showing a stronger than expected performance in a year when Trump’s polling numbers are at a historic low and Democratic voters are roused and angry. Democratic turnout during primaries appears healthy and higher than expected, driven in part by animosity toward Trump and his dismal economy.
Other roadblocks between the two enemies, claims AJC includes the fact that Jones has repeatedly pressed Jackson to take responsibility for a roughly $20 million ad campaign by an anonymous group targeting him. And Jones has indicated he could be willing to reconsider his position if the billionaire surrenders his defamation lawsuit against Jones in the heat of the primary.
“In the earlier interview, Jones brought up the lawsuit and accused Jackson of spending the race ‘trashing me, trashing my family, trashing basically everything that I had done.’”
And the AJC reports there is little sign Jackson is prepared to drop the complaint. In fact, a searing court filing last week by Jackson’s lawyers “ratcheted up the rhetoric as they urged a judge to reject Jones’ motion to dismiss the case.”
Jackson’s attorneys accuse Jones and his campaign of “maliciously” defaming Jackson, calling their attempt to dismiss the case “baseless” and saying an argument from Jones’ lawyers “borders on bad faith frivolity.”
“They also argue against resolving the case before discovery,” reports AJC, “saying Jackson should get the chance to investigate what they describe as ‘numerous misdeeds’ by the Jones campaign.”
“This is a textbook case of malicious, knowing, and calculated defamation. The Jones Defendants should be held accountable,” claims Jackson’s layers. “There is zero justification for dismissing this lawsuit.”
At the same time, however, AJC reports Jones Petroleum — the lieutenant governor’s family’s firm — has filed an unrelated $100 million lawsuit against Jackson and his campaign over attacks accusing the company of profiting from an illegal gambling enterprise.