Trump Endorses Florida Attorney General Uthmeier for Next Term

Trump backs James Uthmeier's reelection bid, crediting the Florida attorney general with more than 1,000 pedophile arrests and the Alligator Alcatraz facility.

First Published: August 3, 2026, 3:25 PM ET

WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald J. Trump endorsed James Uthmeier, the Florida attorney general appointed in 2025, for a full term, crediting him with more than 1,000 arrests of accused child predators.

Trump praised Uthmeier as the official behind the state’s “Alligator Alcatraz” detention site and as a lawyer who defended presidential authority to remove federal officials before the U.S. Supreme Court, according to the post on truthsocial.

“James Uthmeier is a Strong Conservative Fighter and Prosecutor, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement— HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN,” Trump said.

The endorsement hands Uthmeier a decisive asset in a state Trump carried in three straight presidential elections, cementing the attorney general’s standing among Republican primary voters ahead of the 2026 cycle.

Here is the full post on truthsocial: “Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is doing a GREAT job for the Sunshine State, which I won BIG in 2016, 2020, and 2024. James is an America First Warrior, who is a true champion for “MAGA.” He is THE MAN behind ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ, and argued strongly at the United States Supreme Court in defense of my Executive Power to fire Deep State bureaucrats. Under James’ fearless leadership, over 1,000 CRIMINAL PEDOPHILES have been arrested, missing children have been SAVED, and our Great Members of Law Enforcement have been empowered to do their jobs and, KEEP FLORIDA SAFE. In his next term, James will continue to work tirelessly to Ensure Law and Order, Uphold our Constitutional Rights, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. James Uthmeier is a Strong Conservative Fighter and Prosecutor, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement— HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” on August 3, 2026 at 6:50 PM ET.

This is Trump’s 29th message released today, and the last post was 22 minutes ago, 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 10 of his 485 posts over the last 30 days classified as Crime posts.

Governor Ron DeSantis named Uthmeier as Florida’s attorney general in 2025 to fill the vacancy created when former Attorney General Ashley Moody moved to the U.S. Senate, according to stateagreport.com. Uthmeier served as DeSantis’ chief of staff before the appointment and joined the governor’s office in 2019 as deputy general counsel, according to stateagreport.com. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, according to stateagreport.com.

The endorsement lifts Uthmeier while sidelining any Republican challenger who might have hoped to run against an appointed incumbent.Law Enforcement groups and victims’ advocates stand to benefit from the continued focus on trafficking prosecutions. Detainees and civil liberties advocates who have criticized the Everglades detention site stand on the other side of the ledger.

Uthmeier lists protecting the innocent, supporting Law Enforcement, fighting gangs and hu MAN traffickers, and defending constitutional rights among his priorities, according to stateagreport.com. His office has framed those goals around the crime themes Trump highlighted in the endorsement.

For an average Florida resident, the endorsement signals continuity in the state’s approach to prosecutions and immigration enforcement. Voters will decide whether to keep Uthmeier in office at the ballot box. Daily interactions with state Law Enforcement priorities would remain largely unchanged under a full term.

This has happened before. Trump has issued dozens of “Complete and Total” endorsements for down-ballot Republicans, and his backing has reshaped primaries in states he carried. The pattern makes his support a defining factor in contested nominations.

Florida voters will make the next decision on Uthmeier’s tenure in the 2026 election. A specific primary date tied to this race has not been announced in the post.

Gubernatorial appointments to statewide legal office have long shaped Florida politics as happened before. Ashley Moody, whom Uthmeier succeeded, won her own election in 2018 with about 52% of the vote before DeSantis elevated her to the Senate, according to myfloridalegal.com. Pam Bondi held the office for two terms starting in 2011, according to myfloridalegal.com. Each rose through appointments or endorsements that steered them toward statewide victories, a path Uthmeier now seeks to repeat.