U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds speaking with attendees at the 2022 AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Image via Gage Skidmore.
For years, a Florida Republican congressman has appeared on cable news outlets to defend President Donald Trump, but as of this week, he appears to want nothing to do with his long-time ally.
Gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds has spent the campaign touting his MAGA bona fides. This week, The Miami Herald discovered that the far-right congressman has scrubbed any mention of the president from his website.
In his 2020 congressional campaign, Donalds described himself as a “Trump supporting, liberty loving, proven Conservative.”
After Trump endorsed his Florida governor campaign in 2026, Donalds wrote: “I am incredibly honored to earn the trust and endorsement of President Donald J. Trump. I will never stop fighting for the state of Florida! ... Thank you, Mr. President, for the honor of your endorsement. I will not let you down. We will defend the Florida Dream!”
He's even promoted Trump's actions around the economy. In an Aug. 2026 interview, Donalds said the president had done “incredibly well” when it comes to economic issues.
That appears to have changed with 42 days left until the general election. It raises questions about whether Donalds isn't quite as confident he can win as he once was in the Sunshine State.
Over the week, Donalds' team has significantly reduced Trump’s visibility on his website, removing at least eight prominent references to the president. It comes at a time when Trump's approval rating is reaching record lows and even members of his 2024 MAGA coalition are abandoning him.
According to the report, Donalds' website once led with a donation button asking supporters to “Chip in to Support Trump Endorsed Byron Donalds.” It also described him as a “TRUMP-ENDORSED Proven Conservative Fighter,” featured a large yellow banner saying “ENDORSED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP!” and highlighted Trump’s 2025 endorsement message: “RUN, BYRON, RUN!”
The Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, which crawls websites over time, confirms the reported details.
The report also noted that Donalds had already started to shift in his comments about Trump publicly. When speaking about his GOP win on primary night in August, he praised other Republican leaders instead, mentioning Sen. Rick Scott. Trump was not included.
The website overhaul reinforces that shift, the Herald explained. While Trump remains an ally and endorser, Donalds is now presenting himself primarily as a candidate focused on the Florida affordability crisis. Trump famously called the economic struggles a "Democrat hoax" and a "con job."
Donalds is facing off against former Republican David Jolly, who served in Congress for three years. He represented Florida’s 13th Congressional District, covering much of the St. Petersburg area. He was then ousted by Democrat Charlie Crist in 2016. Since then, he's spent his career bashing his former party for the way that it has shifted away from GOP values and become the party of Trump.