Courtesy: Evan El-Amin- Shutterstock – President Donald Trump
Donald Trump, the incoming president, is hiring. Florida appears to be a prime location for hiring for a second Trump administration.
Florida has grown in importance in Trump’s political landscape. Trump’s campaign was managed by top Florida operatives, and the state has only grown more red since he formally moved there. Many insiders now anticipate that his next administration will select players from his new home region.
According to Max Goodman, a Republican consultant in the southwestern region of the state, “Florida is hot right now, for obvious reasons. There is a lot of talent in Florida that fits the criteria this administration is seeking.”
The Trump administration will have to appoint political appointees to cover over 4,000 vacancies. Trump and campaign co-chair Susie Wiles unveiled Trump’s most high-profile choice for chief of staff on Thursday. She previously ran successful gubernatorial campaigns for Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis and has strong links to Florida.
During his victory address at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in the early hours of Wednesday, Trump lauded Wiles from the stage, telling the audience that he called her an “ice baby” and marveling at her desire to stay out of the spotlight.
Top Florida talent was also tapped by Trump’s campaign, including political director James Blair, senior advisor Danielle Alvarez, finance director Meredith O’Rourke, and Brian Hughes, who served as Florida director during the GOP primary before rising to the position of senior adviser.
Despite the Trump transition’s insistence that it is too early to confirm or release any names, people have continued to speculate and consider potential outcomes. There was a tangible sense of expectancy for a Florida tsunami to crash into Washington during interviews with 20 different senators, political operatives, lobbyists, and other Florida insiders.
One Florida GOP official, who was given anonymity to discuss delicate internal dynamics in Florida politics, stated that when considering some of the possible candidates, it is assumed that “some are for loyalty, some are for merit, and some are to clear the field to avoid future confrontation.” The individual brought up the upcoming governor’s election and the likelihood that Trump would consider appointing Vice President-elect JD Vance as the 2028 presidential nominee.
It is generally anticipated that Sen. Marco Rubio, who was on Trump’s shortlist for running mate, will be given consideration for a job in the incoming administration. Rubio is frequently mentioned as a potential secretary of state because of his experience, committee assignments, and contribution to the development of Trump’s Latin American strategy during his first term. Top positions are also being offered to other members of the Florida congressional delegation.
During his pre-election podcast appearance, Trump told Joe Rogan that his biggest error as president was that he “picked a few people I shouldn’t have picked.” Trump is entering office with a more professional and well-organized team and the wisdom of hindsight after his arduous return to the White House.
Since Trump won Florida by a margin of just over one point in 2016, the state has also changed. In 2024, Trump won by 13 points, and Democrats were unable to flip the Senate seat, solidifying Florida as a Republican stronghold. Amendments on abortion and marijuana that were successful in other U.S. states were defeated by Governor Ron DeSantis, and the GOP still holds a supermajority in the legislature.
In contrast to “people who try to control him or try to navigate the bureaucracy,” Trump should seek out individuals who “buy into his agenda and will help him fulfill his agenda,” according to Esteban Bovo, the Republican mayor of Hialeah and a fervent Trump supporter.
Additionally, Floridians might be chosen for positions as high-profile secretaries as well as for the thousands of political appointees who are essential to carrying out policies. Loyalists like Bovo are among the names that Florida agents have suggested. Others include state senator Joe Gruters, who co-chaired Trump’s campaign in Florida in 2016 and defied the majority of the Legislature by supporting Trump in early 2024, and Miami Commissioner Kevin Cabrera, who served as Florida’s state director during Trump’s 2020 campaign.
Trump’s sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., who both moved to Florida and now live in Jupiter, are helping to steer the transition. Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, continue to live quiet lives in the exclusive, exclusive community of Indian Creek Village, which is located just north of South Beach. They have chosen to remain out of politics and government.
Due to their frequent public defense of Trump during his 2024 campaign, a number of members of the Florida congressional delegation are receiving a lot of attention. GOP Representatives Mike Waltz, Matt Gaetz, Byron Donalds, Brian Mast, Carlos Giménez, and Greg Steube are on the lengthy list. Prior to the GOP presidential race, they expressed dissatisfaction with DeSantis’ failure to follow up with them following a tragic accident.
DeSantis would be responsible for scheduling a special election to replace any House members who join a Trump administration. DeSantis would be able to select a replacement if Rubio were to leave the Senate, and many close to him have already stated that he would rule himself out. Control of the chamber makes life more difficult for members of the House. The majority of the House has not yet been called. Additionally, Trump might not want to take the chance of leaving the seat available, even for a few time, if Republicans hold a slim majority.
Trump was also a former employee of other DeSantis administration officials, such as Jason Weida, secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.
Slater Bayliss, a lobbyist from Florida, noted, “Many people who are currently in high profile roles in public service came here after serving in the first Trump administration.” “Of course, there will be a group of individuals from the first Trump administration who return to D.C. and are likely to suggest other members of the current Gov. DeSantis administration.”
With the Education Department undergoing significant reforms that will be in line with DeSantis administration ideas, Florida may be a top candidate for Trump’s hiring.
According to the party’s platform, Trump and Republicans seek to eliminate federal support for educational institutions that teach “radical gender ideology” and critical race theory, as well as those that expose students to “inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content.” Under DeSantis, the Florida Department of Education passed legislation addressing the same issues, forbidding educators from teaching classes on sexual orientation or gender identity.
In a similar vein, Florida and its education agency have been opposing the Biden administration for years over Trump’s priority to target transgender athletes in an effort to “keep men out of women’s sports.”
While suggesting that the education department “should be dismantled or definitely reduced greatly in size and scope,” Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. stated that he would be interested in taking the helm if given the opportunity.
Diaz texted, “If the president of the United States calls you to serve your country, you always listen.” “I will say that I think the Florida Education blueprint will have an impact on that agency, regardless of who holds that position.”
The Florida surgeon general, Dr. Joe Ladapo, is being publicly lobbied by DeSantis and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) to become Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary. This position would oversee the president’s health agenda and include sub-agencies that deal with everything from scientific research to food safety, drug price negotiations, and Medicare.
According to Jamie Miller, a political strategist headquartered in Sarasota, “Florida is the model for conservative government and it has been for some time, so any and all of them are probably on a list somewhere to be considered.”
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Mike has more than 30 years of experience in marketing and public relations. He once owned his own agency and has worked with some of the largest brands in the world.
