Trump Endorses Mike Lindell for Minnesota Governor as Primary Voting Opens

Trump throws his complete support behind the MyPillow founder, calling him a Patriot who will replace one of the worst governors in U.S. history.

First Published: July 15, 2026, 3:39 AM ET

WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald Trump endorsed Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder known as the “Pillow Man,” for governor of Minnesota, calling him one of the country’s greatest and hardest-working patriots. Trump made the endorsement on Truth Social as early primary voting opened in the state.

Trump framed the race as a chance to unseat the incumbent Democrat, describing the sitting governor as one of the worst and most incompetent in U.S. history. He praised Lindell’s work on election integrity and said the candidate would bring Minnesota “back from oblivion and embarrassment.”

Here is the full post on Truth Social: “Mike Lindell, the “Pillow Man,” and one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots, is running to be GOVERNOR OF MINNESOTA, replacing one of the worst and most incompetent governors in the history of the U.S.A. Early Primary Voting has begun and, if given the chance, Mike will be SPECTACULAR!!! He truly loves Minnesota, as do I, and wants to bring it back from oblivion and embarrassment. He can do it! Nobody has sacrificed more than Mike Lindell in fighting for our country, especially when it comes to Election Integrity. He truly deserves everything he gets – He will MAKE MINNESOTA GREAT AGAIN!!! MIKE LINDELL HAS MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT – HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. Good Luck Mike!!! Trump” on July 15, 2026 at 7:31 AM ET.

This is the first message released by Trump today. On average, Trump produces roughly 3 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025.

Lindell, 64, founded MyPillow in Minnesota in 2009 and became its public face through late-night infomercials (see wikipedia.org). He entered the Republican race for governor in December 2025, announcing at his MyPillow factory in Shakopee, a Minneapolis suburb, that he would challenge Democratic Governor Tim Walz (see pbs.org). Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, announced in September that he would seek a third term.

The endorsement raises the stakes for Republicans hoping to break a long losing streak. No Republican has won statewide office in Minnesota since 2006, a drought that makes Trump’s backing a significant boost among the grassroots activists who will attend the state party convention. Lindell benefits from the presidential seal of approval, while Walz gains a foil closely tied to disproven 2020 election-fraud claims.

Lindell has weathered heavy legal and financial storms tied to his election activism. A federal judge in Minnesota ruled in September that Lindell defamed voting-technology firm Smartmatic with 51 false statements, and a Colorado jury found in June that he defamed a former voting-systems executive (see pbs.org). Major retailers dropped MyPillow products after his election claims, costing him millions in revenue and credit.

For the average Minnesota voter, the race would decide who runs the state’s schools, budget and public-safety agencies for the next four years. A Lindell victory would install a Trump ally focused on what he calls fraud in government programs, addiction and homelessness.

Has this happened before? Yes. Minnesota voters have chosen unconventional candidates, electing former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura as governor in 1998 and picking home-improvement company owner Rudy Boschwitz for the U.S. Senate in 1978 (see pbs.org). The state’s willingness to reward outsider pitchmen gives Lindell a template.

Minnesota voters will make the next decision at the Republican primary, with early voting already underway ahead of the 2026 general election. A specific certification date for the primary result has not been announced.

The clash between a TV pitchman and Minnesota’s political establishment isn’t the first time an outsider has stormed the state’s governor’s mansion. In 1998, Jesse Ventura, a former Navy SEAL and pro wrestler, upset both major-party nominees with 37 percent of the vote in a three-way race, becoming the only Reform Party candidate to win a governorship (see wikipedia.org). Ventura governed a single four-year term and declined to seek reelection in 2002. He left office with his party in collapse, a reminder that outsider victories in Minnesota can prove fleeting for the movements behind them.

The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 108 of his 532 posts over the last 30 days focused on elections.