Trump Endorses Wilton Simpson for Re-Election as Florida Agriculture Commissioner

Trump backs Simpson, a fifth-generation Floridian and former state Senate president, calling him a strong voice for the state's farmers and ranchers.

First Published: August 3, 2026, 3:04 PM ET

WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald J. Trump endorsed Wilton Simpson, the Florida agriculture commissioner, for re-election, calling him a strong and highly popular official in the president’s home state.

The president praised Simpson, a fifth-generation Floridian and lifelong egg farmer, as an effective voice for the state’s farmers and ranchers who has backed his agenda from the start. Simpson has served as the 13th Florida commissioner of agriculture and consumer services since January 3, 2023, according to wikipedia.org.

“Commissioner Wilton Simpson has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election – HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump said in the post.

The endorsement signals Trump’s continued sway over Republican primaries in a state he carried three times. It hands Simpson a valuable asset ahead of the 2026 election cycle in the nation’s third-largest state by population.

Here is the full post on truthsocial: “Wilton Simpson is the strong and highly popular Agriculture Commissioner for Florida, my “Home” State, which I love and won SIX times, including with 6.1 Million Votes in 2024, the most in History (BY FAR)! Wilton is a Fifth Generation Floridian, lifelong Egg Farmer, successful Businessman, former President of the State Senate, and now, as Agriculture Commissioner, has served the Sunshine State during a career “loaded up” with accolades and wins. A true America First Patriot, who has been with us from the very beginning, Wilton is an incredibly effective Voice for Florida Agriculture, and our amazing Farmers and Ranchers. He is fighting tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Champion American Energy DOMINANCE, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Keep our now very Secure Border, SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. Commissioner Wilton Simpson has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election – HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” on August 3, 2026 at 6:52 PM ET.

This is Trump’s 27th message released today, and the last post came moments earlier, and it is not part of a thread. On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 81 of his 460 posts over the last 30 days classified as Elections posts.

Simpson built a long record in Florida government before winning the agriculture post. He served in the Florida Senate from 2012 to 2022 and led the chamber as its president from 2020 to 2022, according to wikipedia.org. He earned an Associate of Arts degree from Pasco-Hernando State College in 1997 and managed a large-scale egg-laying operation that supplied grocery stores across the state for over four decades, according to wikipedia.org.

The stakes reach beyond one race. A Trump endorsement typically clears primary fields and deters serious challengers, benefiting the endorsed candidate while narrowing options for rivals. Florida’s agriculture commissioner oversees food safety, consumer services and the concealed-weapons licensing program, a portfolio that touches farmers, ranchers and gun owners statewide, according to wiltonsimpson.com.

The office also carries national weight through trade groups. State agriculture commissioners coordinate policy through the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, which represents departments across the country, according to nasda.org.

Simpson has not always aligned with fellow Republicans. He became embroiled in a public feud with Governor Ron DeSantis over illegal immigration in 2025, according to wikipedia.org. The Trump endorsement places the president’s political weight behind a figure who has clashed with the state’s chief executive.

Trump has issued endorsements like this before, using his platform to elevate loyal state officials across the country. His backing has shaped down-ballot Republican contests in Florida and beyond, according to ballotpedia.org. The pattern has held through multiple election cycles since he entered national politics.

Florida voters will make the next decision on Simpson’s tenure at the ballot box during the 2026 election cycle, with the state’s primary and general election dates set by law. A specific date for Simpson to formally announce his re-election bid has not been announced.

Florida’s agriculture office has passed through partisan hands as happened before. Nikki Fried, a Democrat, held the post from 2019 to 2023 before Simpson, a Republican, succeeded her, according to wikipedia.org. Fried later chaired the Florida Democratic Party after leaving statewide office, a reminder that the commissioner’s chair has served as a launching pad and a battleground for both parties in a state Trump won three times.