Trump pressing DeSantis to name Lara Trump as Rubio’s Senate successor: source
President-elect Donald Trump is pressing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to name his daughter-in-law Lara Trump to fill Sen. Marco Rubio’s seat in the Sunshine State, Fox Digital has learned.
President-elect Trump named Rubio as his pick for secretary of state last month, leaving DeSantis the decision to name a successor to the position. DeSantis said last month that he will likely name his pick for the seat by early January.
Speculation has mounted in recent weeks that Lara Trump is a likely choice for the role, as Republican lawmakers such as Sens. Rick Scott, Lindsey Graham, Katie Britt and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida voiced support for her filling Rubio’s Senate shoes. Lara Trump is married to the 45th president’s son, Eric Trump, and co-chaired the RNC amid the 2024 presidential campaign.
A source in President-elect Trump’s political orbit said Tuesday that the former and upcoming president is pressing DeSantis to name Lara Trump. The comment comes as DeSantis and Trump are expected to attend the annual Army-Navy college football game this coming weekend, Fox Digital previously reported.
Lara Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference at Gaylord National Resort Hotel And Convention Center on Feb. 22, 2024 in National Harbor, Maryland. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
If Rubio is confirmed as the U.S.’ next secretary of state, his successor would serve in the Senate for two years before the seat is up for election again in 2026.
President-elect Donald Trump, left, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Amid speculation over Rubio’s potential replacement, Lara Trump announced this week that she will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) after serving in the position throughout the presidential campaign. She explained in a social media post that she fulfilled three goals she sought as GOP co-chair, and would “formally step down from the RNC at our next meeting.”
LARA TRUMP SAYS SHE’D ‘LOVE TO CONSIDER’ FILLING RUBIO’S SENATE SEAT IF ASKED BY DESANTIS
Lara Trump has publicly spoken favorably of potentially filling the Florida Senate seat, saying she would “100% consider” taking the job if offered by DeSantis.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference at The Rosen Shingle Creek on Feb. 25, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
“It is something I would seriously consider,” she told The Associated Press. “If I’m being completely transparent, I don’t know exactly what that would look like. And I certainly want to get all of the information possible if that is something that’s real for me. But yeah, I would 100% consider it.”
She additionally told Fox News’ Sean Hannity last month that she “would love to serve the people of Florida” and “would love to consider” filling the seat if asked.
This is not the first time Lara Trump has been in the midst of Senate speculation. Following the 2020 presidential election, rumors spread across Washington, D.C., that the Trump daughter-in-law was considering a Senate run in her home state of North Carolina. She ultimately decided against a run, endorsing now-Sen. Ted Budd.
Fox News Digital’s Christina Shaw and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
