Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara just made a bold political move, and it’s turning heads

Lara Trump has officially said she will NOT run for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina, even though many expected her to. She said she came to this decision after talking to her family, friends, and supporters. "After much consideration and heartfelt discussions... I have decided not to pursue..."

Until Thursday morning, former President Donald Trump was expected to support Lara’s Senate run. But in a twist, Trump chose to back Michael Whatley instead, who is the current RNC Chair.

Trump backs someone else for Senate

Michael Whatley, 57, is expected to announce his Senate run soon, and he will be endorsed by both Trump and Lara. Lara Trump is married to Eric Trump, and she had been thinking about running since June, according to the report by Politico.


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Trump had encouraged Lara to run after Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, said he would not seek reelection. Tillis and Trump didn’t get along. Tillis had opposed and criticized Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which made Trump want to back someone else.

Trump promised to support any Republican who would run against Tillis in the 2026 primary. Democrats now see Tillis’ retirement as their chance to flip the seat, and former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper is likely to run, as per the report by Politico.

Trump is “optimistic” that Whatley’s strong donor ties will help the GOP win the race. Whatley is from Watauga County, NC, and led the state Republican Party before becoming RNC Chair in March 2024.

Lara has thought about running before

This is actually the third time Lara Trump has thought about running for Senate. She first thought about running in 2022 when Senator Richard Burr retired, but then decided not to.

In 2024, Trump even considered nominating her to fill Marco Rubio’s seat when he was tapped to be Secretary of State, but dropped the idea. Lara quit her RNC co-chair role in December 2024, making people believe she’d definitely run, but Trump soon said no.

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Since stepping away from politics, Lara Trump has moved toward entertainment. She now hosts a Fox News talk show called “My View with Lara Trump.” She’s also trying out a music career — her sixth Christian pop single came out just three days ago, as per the report by Politico.

FAQs

Q1. Why did Lara Trump decide not to run for Senate in North Carolina?
Lara Trump said she chose not to run after deep talks with her family, friends, and supporters.

Q2. Who is Trump supporting for the North Carolina Senate seat instead of Lara Trump?
Donald Trump is backing RNC Chair Michael Whatley, who will be endorsed by both Trump and Lara.