Trump announced his endorsement Friday, November 6, making clear that he wants Gruters to remain in charge of the national Republican Party as it prepares for the 2028 presidential election.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Gruters as a loyal ally and credited him with helping Republicans build an effective political organization. He also pointed to Gruters’ previous work as chairman of the Republican Party of Florida and his support during Trump’s presidential campaigns.
Trump highlighted a particularly personal connection, recalling that Gruters named him Sarasota County’s Statesman of the Year in both 2012 and 2015.
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Trump described Gruters as a trusted partner who could continue advancing his America First agenda and urged Republicans to support his reelection.
The endorsement comes just days after Republicans experienced a sweeping electoral defeat. Democrats captured control of both chambers of Congress, ending unified Republican control of Washington and creating a significant political setback for Trump’s administration.
According to congressional election results tracked by Roll Call, Democrats had flipped 42 House seats and seven Senate seats as of Thursday afternoon. The results included victories in states that Republicans had carried in previous presidential elections.
The Washington Post described the outcome as historic Republican losses, with Democrats making gains across traditional battlegrounds and states that had long favored Republicans.
Gruters is now facing an internal challenge from someone within Trump’s own political circle.
Republican National Committee Co-Chair KC Crosbie announced Thursday that she intends to challenge Gruters for the chairmanship. In a letter to the committee’s 168 members, Crosbie called for an honest assessment of the party’s election performance and changes to its approach.
Crosbie pointed to voters’ concerns about the cost of living and the direction of the country, arguing that improvements in campaign operations and voter outreach were not enough to address the issues influencing voters.
Her challenge puts the Republican Party’s leadership under scrutiny at a time when party officials are trying to determine what went wrong in the midterms.
The Washington Post reported that Gruters had helped shape the Republican Party’s election strategy and previously predicted the party would defy historical midterm trends. Those expectations were not reflected in the final results.
Gruters became RNC chairman in August 2025 after previously serving as chairman of the Republican Party of Florida and as a Florida state senator. His leadership has been closely associated with Trump’s political operation.
Trump’s endorsement does not settle the leadership contest. RNC members will ultimately determine who leads the organization when the committee holds its leadership elections in January.
The decision could shape how Republicans respond to their losses, reorganize their national campaign operation and prepare for the next presidential election.
For now, Trump is signaling that he wants continuity at the RNC rather than a change in leadership following the party’s midterm defeats.
The question facing Republican officials is whether they will follow Trump’s preference or use the January leadership election to push for a different direction.
