Trump’s Florida White House

You may have noticed that one state has been predominant in President-elect Trump’s vision for his new administration. And it starts at the top. The soon-to-be 47th president, once the quintessential New Yorker, no longer identifies with the Big Apple after the city that had once been entranced by his every move while bringing him fame and fortune suddenly turned on him for having the chutzpah – a classic New York word – to seek the presidency as a Republican. Donald Trump is now a Floridian through and through, and his upcoming presidency will certainly reflect that reality.

This should hardly come as a surprise to anyone paying attention to recent political trends. The Sunshine State, long a critical battleground in presidential elections, has evolved into a deep red sanctuary, thanks in large part to Trump’s friend-turned-rival-turned-ally, Governor Ron DeSantis. The little-known three-term congressman came out of nowhere and ascended to chief executive of Florida in 2018 thanks in large part to Trump’s endorsement of him. He subsequently became one of the nation’s most prominent governors on the strength of his near-legendary management of natural disasters, his in-your-face advocacy of social conservatism, and his willingness to take on powerful special interests, most prominently the increasingly woke Disney Company. DeSantis was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2022 by a margin of 19%, effectively transforming the state from purple to ruby red.

This new reality was evident in the 2024 presidential election. After Trump won Florida by just over 1% in 2016 and 3% in 2020, he ran roughshod over Kamala Harris this year, capturing the state by a whopping 13%. Florida’s rightward turn, together with a similar shift in another longtime swing state, Ohio, has profoundly altered America’s electoral landscape, adding 47 safe Republican electoral votes to a map once overwhelmingly dominated by Democrats.

Trump’s Powerful Floridian Women

While Trump advances plans to physically move multiple federal agencies out of Washington and scatter them across the land, he is in some senses moving his own administration psychologically to Florida – and his beloved Mar-a-Lago estate – by populating his incoming administration with more nominees from that state than any other. And we’re not talking about minor appointments.

Susie Wiles, nicknamed by Trump the “Ice Maiden” – a former advisor to Florida Senator Rick Scott and widely lauded for her leadership of Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign – has been named as the incoming president’s chief of staff. This is arguably his most significant appointment, as she will serve as the gatekeeper who decides who does or doesn’t merit an audience with the president and which matters ultimately reach the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.

At the same time, most observers believe a president’s choice for attorney general to be his most significant Cabinet appointment. Trump announced plans to nominate controversial former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz to the post shortly after the election. But when that nomination blew up, what did Trump do? He turned to yet another Floridian, Pam Bondi, the first woman ever elected as AG of the Sunshine State, where she successfully cracked down on rampant human trafficking and opioid abuse. As a longtime MAGA enthusiast, Bondi defended Trump during his two impeachment hearings and, like the president’s other appointees, is on board with the entirety of Trump’s far-reaching agenda, including his plans to de-weaponize the Department of Justice.

With these two women named to critical positions, one wonders whether billionaire Mark Cuban might consider retracting his much-ballyhooed statement in the closing days of the presidential campaign about Trump. “You never see him around strong, intelligent women,” Cuban declared to The Hill, “Ever. It’s just that simple. They’re intimidating to him. He doesn’t like to be challenged by them.” In fact, the truth is quite the opposite, which Mr. Cuban could have realized with some basic research. The president-elect was notable in his days as a real estate tycoon for breaking the mold of male-dominated big business by naming a number of high-powered women as executives in the Trump Organization.

The Florida Connection Doesn’t Stop There

Just as significant for a president as his chief of staff and attorney general is his secretary of state, the person who represents the president and the country on the world stage. And once again, Trump turned to his new home state to select Marco Rubio, a one-time rival of Trump in the 2016 GOP presidential primaries and influential Senator. Rubio, a Cuban whose parents escaped from Fidel Castro, is, like Trump, not prone to backing down from his hardcore opposition to tyranny as a fierce critic of despotism, from Cuba to Venezuela to China.

Then there’s Rep. Mike Waltz, another Floridian and a highly respected and influential member of the House selected by Trump to be national security advisor, the position closest to the president on matters pertaining to the defense of the nation. Waltz is a Green Beret, an expert on the threats posed by China and Russia, well-versed in cybersecurity, and an advocate for enhanced relations with the Indo-Pacific region.

Ultimately, Trump’s attachment to Florida goes well beyond his glamorous home in Palm Beach and its 30 crucial electoral votes that he captured three times, and which are sure to be coveted by those seeking to become the 48th president in the next election. Its prominence in national politics has produced six presidential contenders in the last half-century. It is known for its brash, bold, and unconventional political culture, in keeping with Trump’s style. Indeed, to understand Donald Trump, and his plans for radical reform, you must understand the Sunshine State and the free-wheeling political ecosystem that sets it apart from the other 49 states in the union, and which will serve as the effective home base for the 47th president.