It looks like Byron Donalds, the Republican candidate running to become governor of Florida, is actively creating distance between himself and President Donald Trump. Sources noted that his campaign website has removed several prominent endorsements of Trump’s.
The page’s main headline once read “TRUMP-ENDORSED Proven Conservative Fighter,” along with a yellow banner icon that read “ENDORSED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP!” The button on the homepage beckoning supporters to “Chip In to Support Trump-Endorsed Byron Donalds” has been removed, as well as a separate section named “RUN, BYRON, RUN!” after Trump’s 2025 endorsement message.
According to reporting from the Miami Herald, other references throughout the campaign website have been eliminated. A photo of Donalds and his wife, Erika, posing with Trump has been removed, and Trump’s name has been de-emphasized among a list of other GOP politicians and right-wing figures such as Florida Senator Rick Scott, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and the late Charlie Kirk.
Eight other references to Trump have also been removed throughout Donalds’ website, according to visual data firm Visualping, including the second topic on his issues section, which was “Fight Illegal Immigration,” which has now been relegated to “stop taxpayer handouts to illegal immigration” under the “Law & Order” topic.
“Our campaign website reflects Byron’s focus on the issues that matter most to Floridians — affordability, insurance costs, and government transparency,” Donalds’ campaign spokesperson Gates McGavick said in a statement when contacted. “He’s running to be the next Governor of Florida, is proud to have President Trump’s endorsement, and has real policy proposals to tackle those issues. Meanwhile, David Jolly is all sound bites, no depth, and no policy.”
Donalds is facing off against Democrat David Jolly to become governor, and polling thus far shows that Donalds has either a slight edge over his competitor with five weeks to go until the midterm elections in November. Trump’s rising unpopularity after an ill-advised war in Iran, increasing gas prices and rampant food instability has endangered the GOP’s midterm outlook.
The shift was noticable last month as Donalds took the stage after his primary win over James Fishback. He didn’t mention Trump at all in his victory speech, choosing instead to focus on other GOP stalwarts such as South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.
