President-elect Trump said he doesn't think Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will nominate his daughter-in-law Lara Trump to replace Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
“No, I don't know. I probably don't. But I don't know,” Trump said Monday in response to questions from reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. “Ron is doing a good job. It's his choice and nothing to do with me.”
President Trump announced last month that he would nominate Rubio, a three-term senator from Florida and the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committee, to be secretary of state in the next administration.
Trump presses DeSantis to nominate daughter-in-law to replace Rubio in Senate
President-elect Trump speaks during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Monday, December 16, 2024 in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP/Evan Vucci)
Since then, the president-elect and Trump's top allies have asked Lara Trump, who served as co-chairman of the Republican National Committee from March until a week ago, to serve as president for the next two years of Rubio's term. recommended that he serve as a senator.
DeSantis said he would make a decision on Rubio's successor in the Senate by early next month.
DeSantis sets date for nomination of Rubio's Senate successor
President Trump praised his daughter-in-law on Monday, saying, “Lara is incredible. The work she's done at the RNC… She's very well-respected.”
And added that Lara Trump is very popular.
Lara Trump speaks to the media after a rally in North Charleston, South Carolina on February 21, 2024. (Brandon Gillespie/Fox News)
“I also know that Lala has a lot of other things. I mean, she has a lot of other things. People want her to be on TV. They want to give her a contract,” Trump said. “She has a lot of other things she wants to talk about.”
The president-elect also praised Rubio, but added: “He leaves an open seat in the state of Florida and Ron will have to make that decision. And he will make the right decision.”
Former President Trump shakes hands with Sen. Marco Rubio during a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, on November 4, 2024. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Sources confirmed to Fox News that Trump told DeSantis that he wanted to see his daughter-in-law succeed Rubio. But Florida Republican officials have indicated that Mr. DeSantis is likely to nominate someone who has held office in the Sunshine State.
And Lara Trump said in an interview with Fox News and The Associated Press that she would “seriously consider” running for the Florida Senate.
DeSantis, a former Trump ally, clashed with the former president last year and early this year in the highly controversial race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, but backed Trump after the primary season. , he helped to recruit party members, and as a result he somewhat repaired his relationship with the former president. General election campaign funds for Republican candidates.
As Hurricane Milton batters Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis held multiple storm preparedness press conferences on October 7, 2024. (Florida Governor's Office)
“Florida has the power to help President Trump fulfill his electoral mandate, to be strong on immigration and border security, to fight entrenched bureaucracies and the administrative state, to reverse national fiscal decline, and to support conservative ideals.” “We deserve a senator with a proven track record who is driven by the United States. The results are great,” DeSantis said last month.
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“We have already received strong interest from several potential candidates and are continuing to collect and pre-screen additional names,” he said at the time. is scheduled to take place.” A selection will probably be made by early January. ”
Mr. Rubio's formal confirmation process by his fellow senators will not begin until Mr. Trump is sworn into office on January 20.
