"There, in order to gain Taft's support in the campaign, Eisenhower promised he would take no reprisals against Taft partisans, would cut federal spending, and would fight "creeping socialism in every domestic field.""In fact, Eisenhower and Taft agreed on most domestic issues; their disagreements were primarily in foreign policy.
Eisenhower firmly believed in NATO and was committed to the U.S. supporting anti-Communism in the Cold War.""Following Eisenhower's election and the GOP takeover of Congress, Taft served as Senate Majority Leader in 1953, and he strongly supported Eisenhower's domestic proposals.
"He worked hard to assist the inexperienced new officials of the administration.
He even tried—with little success—to curb the excesses of red-baiting U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy.By April the President and Taft were friends and golfing companions, and Taft was praising his former adversary.
"Defeat in 1952, it seemed, had softened Taft.
"No longer burdened by presidential ambitions, he had become less partisan, less abrasive, and more conciliatory; during this time he was widely regarded as the most powerful man in Congress...""In early 1953 Taft began to feel pain in his hips, and after a painful golf outing with President Eisenhower in April 1953 he entered Walter Reed Hospital for initial tests which led doctors to suspect a tumor or arthritis.
Tests in May at Holmes Memorial Hospital near Cincinnati revealed that his body was full of cancer...
He died on July 31, 1953."
So Eisenhower and Taft were close friends until the day Taft died.