NEW: Trump Issues Endorsement In RNC Race

President Donald Trump has named his preferred candidate to become the next chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) just days after current chair Michael Whatley announced that he would be seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate in North Carolina.

Whatley announced earlier this week that he would be jumping in the race to replace the retiring Thom Tillis after his former co-chair, Lara Trump, announced that she would not be running. Trump immediately moved to endorse Whatley’s candidacy in what will arguably be the most tightly contested race in the 2026 midterm elections cycle, stating that he would make an “unbelievable senator” who is “fantastic at everything he does.”

In terms of replacing Whatley — who has earned high praise from the Trump base after taking over for the wildly unpopular Ronna Romney McDaniel — the president has endorsed Florida State Senator Joe Gruters.

“I have somebody who will do a wonderful job as the Chairman of the RNC,” Trump announced in a Truth Social post Thursday. “His name is, Joe Gruters, and he will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. So, should Michael Whatley run for the Senate, please let this notification represent my Complete and Total Endorsement. HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

Gruters currently serves as RNC treasurer and previously was chairman of the Florida Republican Primary. He also co-chaired the president’s original campaign in the Sunshine State in 2016.

Joe Gruters

“I’m looking forward to advancing President Trump’s America First agenda as the next Chair of the RNC,” Gruters told the Miami Herald after securing the coveted Trump endorsement. “He is the greatest President in our nation’s history, and I’m ready to serve, fight, and win for our party and our country.”

The state senator had been campaigning for chief financial officer of Florida against a candidate backed by Governor Ron DeSantis, who has oftentimes been critical of Gruters. During a recent press conference, the governor listed a number of policy disagreements he has with Gruters.

“We did landmark legislation to hold teacher unions accountable…Gruters sided with the teacher unions, rather than conservatives. On immigration, he was the author and architect of this terrible amnesty bill…which would’ve made Alligator Alcatraz illegal in the state of Florida. Even protecting our coast with the boats, with the Haitians coming in. He also authored legislation to put gender ideology as a “special class” in Florida law,” DeSantis said.

Gruters has received endorsements from a number of prominent Florida Republicans, however, including Senator Rick Scott and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds.