Donald Trump Jr. moves to be MAGA's new kingmaker
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His father gets most of the headlines. But Donald Trump Jr. has become a behind-the-scenes power broker in GOP politics — a guy whose endorsements are coveted as much as anyone except the former president's.
Why it matters: Trump Jr., 46 — and friends including Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), 39 — have emerged as the next-generation Republicans who are the most eager, and best positioned, to carry on the elder Trump's MAGA legacy.
- It's unclear whether that means Trump Jr. will run for office some day.
- He privately cites his support of Vance to be his father's pick for vice president as evidence he has no plans to run.
- But as Trump Jr. told an Iowa voter in January, "I'm not going to say no, because if you do" and wind up running, "they say: 'Liar!'"
Zoom in: For now, he's a gatekeeper for the party his 77-year-old father has remade in his own image.
- Trump Jr. is like his father in some ways: He enjoys trash-talking on social media and campaigning, but isn't as attracted to the day job of governing that would come with running for and winning public office.
- With his father's backing, he's become adept at working the internal politics of the Republican Party.
- He elevates his friends (including Vance and Indiana Rep. Jim Banks).
- "With the exception of his dad, I'm not sure I've seen anyone who has a stronger natural connection to our base," Vance said.
Between the lines: Trump Jr. has developed a multi-platform messaging network to build his brand.
- His "Triggered" podcast on Rumble is popular with MAGA enthusiasts and likely will expand beyond its current twice-a-week schedule, a person familiar with his social media strategy told Axios.
- Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, endorsed the elder Trump last year on Trump Jr.'s podcast — a reflection of the podcast's reach to the MAGA audience.
Trump Jr. uses Twitter/X as a political hammer to go after so-called RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) and his father's critics — rants that often have led Democrats and other critics to ridicule him.
- He uses Instagram to try to make people laugh, reaching a conservative but not overtly political audience of hunters and gun owners.
Trump Jr. typically doesn't get ahead of his father in endorsing candidates. But his interviews with those he endorses often are shared by those candidates.
- His focus this year has been on getting more MAGA-aligned candidates to the Senate. Republicans have a good chance of winning control of in November.
- Trump Jr. has stumped for Ohio's Bernie Moreno, who's challenging Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. He helped Banks secure an early endorsement from his father for Banks' run for Senate.
Trump Jr. says he's attracted to candidates with good stage presence and who like to fight. Another favorite of his is Montana Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, who's challenging Democratic Sen. Jon Tester.
What they're saying: "There are two endorsements that every candidate wants," Republican strategist Alex Bruesewitz told Axios.
- "No. 1 is they want President Trump, and No. 2 is they want Donald Trump Jr. ... Donald Trump Jr. is certainly seen as a leader in the Republican Party."
- Banks told Axios: "I see President Trump as the leader of the party. But I see Don Jr. as building the next generation."
Lately, Trump Jr. has been deployed to raise money — not his favorite duty.
- Earlier this year, Trump Jr. lamented to a confidant that his dad's campaign was using him and his fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle, for too many fundraisers. A Don Jr. spokesman denied that.
- Trump Jr. helped raise $1 million for his father's campaign at an event in Alabama. He'll attend another fundraiser in London this month, a person familiar with the event told Axios.
