Trump set the record straight.
President Donald Trump is firing back at national media reports suggesting that Florida Republican governor candidate Byron Donalds is trying appear no longer a close ally of President Trump.
Trump called the coverage a “Fake Story” and made clear that his endorsement of Donalds remains firmly in place as Florida’s governor’s race moves deeper into the general election campaign.
The dispute erupted after Donalds’ campaign redesigned its website and removed several prominent references to Trump from its homepage. While those changes did occur, Trump’s endorsement remains featured elsewhere on the campaign website, and Donalds has publicly denied that he is backing away from the president.
Trump Rejects Claims of a Political Split
Trump addressed the controversy in a lengthy Truth Social post, saying reports of a falling-out between himself and Donalds were inaccurate.
Trump disputed reports that Byron Donalds, an early endorsee and longtime ally, was stripping references to the president from his campaign website and promotional materials.
The president endorsed Donalds early in the race to replace term-limited Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and has continued to publicly support his candidacy.
Trump’s reaction came after several news organizations reported that Donalds’ redesigned campaign homepage contained fewer references to the president.
According to reporting on archived versions of the website, at least eight references to Trump’s endorsement were removed from the homepage. An earlier version had prominently highlighted Donalds as a Trump-endorsed conservative and displayed photographs connecting the two Republican figures.
The previous campaign website also included “Enact the Trump Agenda” among its featured policy priorities.
Those changes provided the factual basis for the media coverage. The disagreement centers on what the redesign actually means politically.
Trump’s Endorsement Has Not Disappeared
Despite the changes to the homepage, Trump has not been removed entirely from Donalds’ campaign website.
His endorsement remains included among a rotating collection of endorsements, while other parts of the campaign site continue to reference Donalds’ past support for Trump.
That distinction has become important as both Trump and Donalds push back against suggestions that the website redesign represents a political separation.
Donalds said the campaign had been working on the website changes for approximately two months and wanted the new version to put greater emphasis on his plans for Florida.
He specifically pointed to issues such as affordability, insurance costs and government accountability as subjects Florida voters want to hear about during the general election campaign.
Donalds Says He Still Supports Trump’s Agenda
Donalds has also directly rejected the idea that he is abandoning Trump’s political agenda.
When questioned about the changes, Donalds said the new website was intended to highlight the policies his campaign wants to pursue in Florida rather than signal a change in his relationship with Trump.
He continued to praise parts of Trump’s agenda, including policies involving border security, law enforcement and the economy.
Trump pointed to Donalds’ response as further evidence that speculation about a split had been overblown.
Trump said Donalds quickly responded by sharing the photo, denying the reports, and emphasizing the president’s strong endorsement of his campaign.
Trump said two Florida rallies had been arranged in support of Donalds and expressed confidence that they would draw large crowds.
Trump Blasts National News Organizations
Trump did not limit his criticism to the reports themselves.
He used much of his statement to attack the news organizations responsible for covering the website changes, naming several major national outlets and accusing them of promoting a misleading political narrative.
“This was a Fake Story,” Trump wrote.
The president argued that the coverage was designed to weaken his political influence and create the appearance of division between himself and Republican candidates.
Trump has frequently clashed with major media organizations throughout his political career, often accusing outlets of presenting his administration, policies and political allies unfairly.
The latest dispute shows that those tensions remain a major part of the political landscape heading toward the 2026 midterm elections.
Website Changes Become a Campaign Issue
The controversy illustrates how closely campaign websites and political messaging are being watched during the election season.
Donalds’ earlier website placed Trump’s endorsement near the center of his political identity. The redesigned version gives significantly more space to Donalds’ Florida-specific policy agenda.
That change is not disputed.
What remains disputed is the reason behind it.
Some media coverage has interpreted the reduced prominence of Trump as evidence that Donalds may be creating more political distance from the president. Donalds and his campaign reject that interpretation, saying the redesign is simply part of the transition toward a general-election message focused on Florida voters.
Florida Governor’s Race Moves Into the Spotlight
Donalds is running against Democratic nominee David Jolly, a former Republican congressman who later left the GOP and became a Democrat.
That matchup has attracted national attention because both candidates previously served in Congress and because Florida remains one of the country’s most politically significant states.
For Donalds, Trump’s endorsement has been an important part of his campaign from the beginning.
Trump endorsed him before Donalds formally launched his gubernatorial campaign, calling on him to enter the race.
That history helps explain why even relatively small changes involving Trump’s presence on the campaign website attracted widespread attention.
Trump Doubles Down on Donalds Endorsement
Rather than backing away from Donalds amid the controversy, Trump used his statement to strengthen his public support.
He once again gave Donalds his “Complete and Total Endorsement” and made clear that he wants Florida voters to know the relationship between the two Republicans remains intact.
Trump also argued that portraying Donalds as abandoning him could hurt the Republican candidate politically.
The president’s response effectively turns what began as a website redesign into a broader dispute over political media coverage, campaign messaging and Trump’s continuing role in Republican politics.
For voters following the Florida governor’s race, two facts can be separated from the political interpretations surrounding them: Donalds’ campaign did reduce the prominence of Trump on portions of its website, but Donalds has not renounced Trump’s endorsement and says he is not distancing himself from the president.
As the campaign continues, the episode is likely to keep attention focused on how Donalds balances his long-standing alliance with Trump with his effort to make Florida-specific issues the centerpiece of his campaign.
