Donald Trump is claiming the position of Florida kingmaker.
The former president is more involved in politics in his new home state, rewarding loyalists and chastising Gov. Ron DeSantis after securing the 2024 nomination, thanks in part to endorsements from Florida Republicans.
Trump is now returning the favor to those who supported him. In recent weeks, he has entered already-brewing 2026 contests in the state and rewarded congressional supporters with his coveted mark of approval, all in an effort to shape Florida politics in his image.
“I think it’s him putting his stamp on Florida and rewarding loyalty,” said a Florida-based Republican close to the former president, who requested anonymity to talk freely.
The endorsements come amid a simmering public dispute between Trump and DeSantis, his defeated opponent. DeSantis endorsed Trump shortly after dropping out of the presidential race, but he has since given unsolicited (and, according to people close to the president, undesired) advice on how to manage his campaign, prompting one of Trump’s closest lieutenants to refer to him as a “sad little man” on X. Trump is also still bragging about his triumph on the stump.
DeSantis declared last week in Miami Beach that he doesn’t expect to campaign with Trump in Florida since the state isn’t competitive, and the Trump campaign responded that he wasn’t welcome anyhow.
Recent Trump endorsements include Reps. Gus “very effective lawmaker” Bilirakis and Bill “fantastic” Posey. Both endorsed Trump early in his presidential campaign—BBilirakis supported the former president before DeSantis entered the race—aand now face at least nominal Republican opponents.
Earlier this month, Trump also endorsed state Rep. Randy Fine, the lone Jewish Republican in the Florida Legislature, who publicly switched his support from DeSantis to Trump and slammed the governor’s antisemitism record in the process.
Trump’s objectives in Florida extend far beyond the election and into a possible second term. Trump revealed that “rockstar” state Senator Joe Gruters was interested in running for Florida’s chief financial officer, a position that will not be available until 2026, when current CFO Jimmy Patronis’ tenure expires.
(Patronis is also considering running for governor in 2026 to succeed DeSantis, and Trump recently lauded him for doing a “terrific job.”)
Gruters “was on the ‘Trump Train’ before it even left the station,” Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social.
However, Trump’s posts were not all positive. One advocated for a challenger to run against Rep. Laurel Lee, the sole member of the Florida delegation to support DeSantis. A Trump-supporting social media influencer is mulling a run against Lee, as is a former state lawmaker she defeated in the 2022 primary.
Lee’s campaign declined to respond. She was DeSantis’ top election official and flipped her support to Trump when DeSantis stepped down.
The most recent Trump posts occurred amid endorsements from other states, ranting about MSNBC, criminal cases against him, and surveys showing him leading in swing states, but they surely drew the attention of Florida political observers.
Bilirakis told POLITICO in a statement that he was “honored” to receive Trump’s endorsement and that he has “enthusiastically” backed the former president throughout his 2016 campaign. Gruters told POLITICO that he had requested Trump’s endorsement and was “very grateful for the strong support and encouragement.”
Trump’s social media support boosted DeSantis’ political career in 2018. However, the two men fought for dominance throughout the presidential primary, particularly in Florida, where DeSantis won by 19 points in 2022 without seeking Trump’s endorsement, dragging other Republicans along with him.
Trump’s latest posts indicate that the power struggle is set to continue, although his endorsements may suffer if he loses in November. DeSantis has not discussed molding Florida’s future beyond the 2.5 years he has left in office, but he has expressed an interest in campaigning with local and state candidates here.
Brian Hughes, a longtime Florida operative and senior adviser to the Trump campaign, stated that the previous president’s endorsements were “sought after” since “Florida is Trump Country” and supported his views.
“The men and women who receive the endorsement of President Trump are America First officials who represent the MAGA movement to make our nation and communities across Florida safe and more prosperous for working families,” he went on to say.
