President Donald Trump endorsed James Uthmeier for Florida attorney general on Wednesday, ending speculation over whether the close Gov. Ron DeSantis ally would land the pivotal presidential backing.
Trump praised Uthmeier as a “true champion for MAGA,” an “American First warrior” and the “man behind Alligator Alcatraz,” the controversial Everglades detention center.
“James Uthmeier is a Strong Conservative Fighter and Prosecutor, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
Uthmeier, 37, thanked Trump in a social media post. Speculation had swirled that Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez — who has been at odds with DeSantis — might enter the race with Trump’s endorsement.
“I will keep fighting on behalf of Floridians and the American people, and I won’t let you down,” he wrote.
DeSantis appointed Uthmeier as attorney general in February, filling a vacancy created when he named Ashley Moody to the U.S. Senate seat previously held by Marco Rubio. Uthmeier served as DeSantis’ chief of staff and worked as his campaign manager during his unsuccessful presidential bid.
Since taking office, Uthmeier has become the public face of several conservative causes. He announced an Everglades immigration detention center in June, nicknaming it “Alligator Alcatraz” and calling it “the one-stop shop to carry out President Trump’s mass deportation agenda.”
He became a vocal critic of Democratic Orange-Osceola State Attorney General Monique Worrell, accusing her of taking a soft stance on crime. He declined to defend a state law banning the open carrying of firearms after a Florida appeals court struck it down as unconstitutional. Recently, he supported transferring prime downtown Miami real estate for Trump’s presidential library.
Uthmeier has also faced controversy over the transfer of $10 million from a state Medicaid settlement to a political committee he controlled opposing a ballot initiative legalizing marijuana. The funds first went to the charitable arm of first lady Casey DeSantis’ Hope Florida initiative, which funneled the money to two nonprofit organizations that in turn gave $8.5 million to the Uthmeier-controlled political committee.
On the Democratic side, former state Sen. José Javier Rodríguez, a Miami attorney, launched his bid for attorney general in June.
A Trump endorsement has become arguably the single most important guarantor of victory in Florida politics, with the president spending much of his time in solidly red Florida and DeSantis a lame duck termed out in 2026. Trump’s enthusiasm for U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds has made him the favorite to succeed DeSantis.
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/10/08/trump-backs-uthmeier-for-florida-attorney-general/
