Byron Donalds says Trump’s campaign appearance is “his decision” after winning Florida GOP governor nomination

Rep. Byron Donalds, the Florida Republican nominee for governor after securing his party’s nod, said in an interview Tuesday that it is up to President Donald Trump to decide whether he will campaign with Donalds ahead of November.

Donalds, speaking on NewsNation’s “On Balance,” was asked about whether Trump would join his campaign after Trump endorsed Donalds’ bid to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, a fellow Republican, in the state’s 2026 gubernatorial race. Donalds responded that the decision belongs to Trump, saying, “That’s his decision.”

The comments came as Florida Republicans look to translate Trump’s national profile and support into state-level momentum during the final stretch of the election cycle. Donalds has positioned Trump’s endorsement as a key part of his effort to win the gubernatorial nomination and prepare for the general election.

Donalds’ remarks also highlighted how presidential campaigning schedules are treated in practice, even when a president has publicly backed a state candidate. By framing the appearance question as Trump’s choice, Donalds indicated that he viewed any potential joint appearances as subject to the president’s own planning and priorities rather than as something tied automatically to an endorsement.

Under Florida election rules, the general election campaign will proceed with the nominee selected through the state’s primary process. With Donalds now the GOP nominee, the question for both campaigns is what level of national involvement, if any, will be brought to Florida by the Trump White House during the months leading to Election Day.

While Donalds described Trump’s role in terms of endorsement and the president’s discretionary decision on campaigning, the exchange underscored the broader dynamic of federal and state politics running on different timelines. The practical impact of any presidential stop, rally, or event would depend on scheduling, staffing, and the campaign’s logistics, rather than on the nomination outcome alone.

The NewsNation interview did not provide a timeline for whether Trump would appear, nor did it describe specific event plans. Donalds’ statement therefore left the key detail unresolved: whether Trump’s campaign involvement in Florida will extend beyond the endorsement.

Donalds’ comments also come as the gubernatorial race focuses on the policy disagreements that typically separate the nominees in general-election contests, with the national conversation often influencing voter attention. In this case, Donalds’ framing suggested that, at least for now, any additional boost from Trump would be determined by Trump’s own campaign decisions rather than by the Florida campaign’s request.