Trump Endorses Mike Rounds for Re-election

On Monday, former President Donald Trump announced his endorsement of South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds for re-election, a surprising turn given that he had previously stated he would never support Rounds again just four years ago.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump referred to Rounds as a key defender of South Dakota and praised him for being an “America First patriot.” He applauded Rounds for championing policies aimed at advancing U.S. energy dominance, military support, and border security.

Interestingly, Trump’s newfound endorsement comes after Rounds publicly affirmed in 2022 that the 2020 election was “fair,” which did not sit well with Trump. The former president had expressed strong disapproval, stating that Rounds only managed to win the state in 2020 thanks to Trump’s backing, and insinuated that he believed Rounds thought he could afford to stray from Trump’s orbit. In fact, Trump had, in a 2022 statement, declared he would never support Rounds again, no matter how far away the next election was.

Trump didn’t hold back, criticizing what he termed “Radical left Democrats” and “RINOS” associated with Rounds, labeling him as a “weak and ineffective leader.” He adamantly declared he would never back him again.

In response, Rounds expressed gratitude for Trump’s support, urging voters to back the Republican incumbent in the upcoming primary against Navy veteran and businessman Justin McNeil.

Rounds conveyed his appreciation for Trump in a post on X, saying, “I’m proud to work with you to make America and South Dakota great again! I won’t let the people of South Dakota down!” This endorsement, though late in the game, appears to solidify the ongoing complicated relationship between the former president and the senator.