The Trump campaign on Friday warned House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good to stop creating and exhibiting materials that “create the false impression” that the Virginia Republican has the former president’s endorsement.
The cease-and-desist letter, obtained by The Washington Post, was sent to Good and his campaign treasurer after Trump’s legal team learned that a yard sign had been erected in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District with the name of a leading Republican presidential candidate written over Good’s name.
“We have been made aware that your campaign has produced yard signs purporting to show President Trump’s endorsement of your candidacy,” the letter from Dillon Law Firm read.
“You know that is false,” the letter continued. “In fact, President Trump has endorsed your opponent.”
Trump, 77, endorsed state Sen. John Maguire in Virginia’s 5th District Republican primary in a Truth Social post earlier this week, in which he declared Goode was “bad for Virginia and bad for America.”
“He turned his back on our great movement and relentlessly attacked and fought me until recently, when he offered a warm and ‘loving’ endorsement — but it was too late,” Trump wrote. “The damage was already done!”
Goode supported Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, but despite announcing his support after DeSantis withdrew and appearing in former President Trump’s hush money trial in Manhattan earlier this month, he has not been able to regain Trump’s support.
Maguire, a former Navy SEAL, was endorsed last month by the Republican Jewish Coalition, which cited Good’s vote against a $95 billion emergency spending bill that included $17 billion in military aid to Israel.
The cease and desist letter warned that neither Goode nor his campaign “may use the name of President Trump or the Campaign to falsely suggest that they endorse Ms. Goode’s candidacy” or “may not claim that Ms. Goode represents or is in any way associated with Mr. Goode or the Campaign.”
“Creating and posting materials that give the false impression that President Trump endorses your candidacy constitutes a fraud on the voters of Virginia’s 5th Congressional District,” the letter states. “Making such false statements is an abuse of voters’ trust.”
The letter also warned Goode that “using President Trump’s name, image or likeness in fundraising materials” would be considered “a fraudulent attempt on donors.”
The Trump campaign demanded that Goode “immediately cease producing and displaying any materials that falsely suggest that President Trump endorses you or supports your campaign in any way.”
The Trump campaign raised a “record-breaking” $34.8 million in small donations just hours after jurors read the former president’s guilty verdict in a Manhattan courtroom on Wednesday.
Shortly after the verdict, the campaign warned lower-ranking Republican candidates that it would not look good on a candidate trying to embezzle donations that were meant for Trump.
“There are no Republican elected officials, candidates or party committees siphoning money from President Trump’s donors more than Judge Marchan’s daughter,” Trump campaign co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita told Politico.
“We keep a list and we check it twice, but it’s not like Christmas.” He added.
Good’s campaign did not respond to The Washington Post’s request for comment.
