When Donald Trump needed a new nominee for U.S. attorney general he moved swiftly from Florida man to Florida woman.
And in selecting the former Florida A.G. Pam Bondi to replace Matt Gaetz he illustrated how one state is providing the backbone of his new administration.
His White House chief of staff, secretary of state and national security adviser all hail from the Sunshine State.
Insiders joke that they have embarked on ‘making America Florida Again,’ referencing T-shirts that were on sale at campaign events celebrating the state’s new status as a Republican stronghold.
Trump is picking people who share his reform agenda, said one insider, but it did not hurt their chances if they lived close to his political headquarters at Mar-a-Lago.
‘Obviously proximity will be important but ultimately he was always going to choose those that will put America First,’ he said.
The decisions may also reflect the influence of Susie Wiles, who will be Trump’s White House chief of staff and was the first personnel announcement.
She was one of the two figures who led Trump’s 2024 campaign, after building a reputation as a savvy political operative in Florida over the course of decades.
The power of Florida in Trump world was illustrated Thursday when Trump quickly selected former state AG Pam Bondi to replace Matt Gaetz, also from Florida, as his attorney general
Donald Trump picked longtime Florida Republican strategist Susie Wiles to be his White House chief of staff, the first of several key appointees from the state
Trump himself is Florida man these days after switching his residence from New York
She masterminded Trump’s 2016 campaign in the state, helped Ron DeSantis win his first term as governor, and grew in influence as a partner at Ballards, a powerful consulting firm.
‘I believe she’s a very big part of the reason. Susan Wiles is a great reader of people,’ said Florida Republican operative Larry Casey, who has known Wiles since they worked together in Washington, D.C, 40 years ago.
But he said it all started with Trump, who has long wintered in Palm Beach and moved his home there during his first term.
‘He’s known these people for a long time, up close and personal,’ he added.
‘He’s been with him in small environments. He’s been with him for dinner. He’s been for lunch. He’s had conversations with them.’
Trump’s national security apparatus will have a strong Florida flavor.
The axis will lie between incoming Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was born to immigrant parents in Miami and is now in his third term as one of the state’s senators, and Mike Waltz, a former Green Beret who grew up in Jacksonville and will become Trump’s national security adviser.
Other appointees include Sergio Gor, who lives in Miami. He set up Winning Team Publishing with Don Jr., and spends a lot of time at Mar-a-Lago working on Trump’s books.
Trump’s ambassador to Israel will be Santa Rosa Beach resident (and former governor of Arkansas) Mike Huckabee.
Trump with Florida Senator and incoming Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Mike Gaetz, Trump’s pick for national security adviser, grew up in Jacksonville
The picks reflect not just Trump’s Florida circle of associates but also the state’s changing political character.
Trump has expanded the Republican vote from 49 percent in 2016 to a shade over 56 percent this year, and the number of party registrations has overtaken Democratic ones by a million.
Under DeSantis, the state also became a proving ground for conservative ideas.
Whether overturning pandemic lockdown rules, banning most abortions after six weeks, or the governor’s ‘war on woke,’ the state has attracted Republicans from all over the country keen to enjoy its conservative policies, warm weather, and lack of state income tax.
One of them was Todd Blanche. He led Trump’s legal team during his hush money trial in New York this year.
HE bought a home in Palm Beach County and is now going to his client’s deputy U.S. attorney general.
‘As the home of President Trump, and a state that leads the nation as a place where respect for our freedoms and common sense policy are the proven model for success, it makes perfect sense that many leaders from Florida are prepared to play a pivotal role in restoring the nation’s greatness,’ said Brian Hughes, transition spokesman.
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