Lara Trump, who is married to Donald Trump’s son, Eric Trump, has been a loyal supporter of her father-in-law’s political career since his first campaign in 2016.
Leveraging her background in TV news, she has produced promotional videos, represented the campaign at events, and become a regular guest on Fox News.
With Donald Trump’s support, Lara Trump gained even more power in the GOP when she became the cochair of the Republican National Committee in March alongside Michael Whatley, a close Trump ally who served as North Carolina’s GOP chair.
After Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as his nominee for Secretary of State, some Trump loyalists called on Gov. Ron DeSantis to appoint Lara Trump to fill his Senate seat.
Here’s a look at Lara Trump’s background, relationship with the Trump family, and rise to power.
Representatives for Lara Trump and the RNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lara Trump grew up in North Carolina.
She graduated from North Carolina State University in 2005 with a degree in communications.
After college, she went to culinary school and spent time as a personal trainer.
Trump earned a degree in pastry arts from the French Culinary Institute, her bio on the nonprofit Concordia‘s official website says.
A formal personal trainer, Trump said in an interview with The Trump Organization‘s official website that she competes in triathlons “on a regular basis.”
“Fitness has always been an important part of my life, be it competing in triathlons and marathons or using it to cope with stress,” she said.
She met Eric Trump in 2008, and they wed in 2014.
Lara Trump told “Fox & Friends” that she was “immediately intrigued” when she first met Eric Trump while out with friends in New York City.
He proposed after five years of dating, and they wed at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
Their dog, a beagle named Charlie, was the ring bearer at their wedding, and Ivanka Trump’s husband, Jared Kushner, officiated the ceremony.
The couple lives in a $3.2 million estate in Jupiter, Florida.
She’s a former TV-news producer.
Lara Trump worked as an associate producer at Inside Edition until 2016, when she left to campaign for Donald Trump.
She has two children with Eric Trump.
Their son, Eric “Luke” Trump, was born in 2017. Their daughter, Carolina Dorothy Trump, followed in 2019.
During Donald Trump’s first presidency, she worked as a campaign consultant and hosted a “Real News” show on Facebook.
In 2017, Lara Trump began hosting a weekly “Real News” show streamed through Donald Trump’s official Facebook page highlighting accomplishments and activities from the president’s week.
The show garnered criticism for exaggerated descriptions of even mundane presidential activities as “historic” and false claims about policies such as Republican tax-cut proposals, Salon reported. The Hollywood Reporter compared the show to “state-run” media.
Lara Trump responded to critics in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, saying, “It’s not propaganda because it’s true.”
Trump is passionate about dog-rescue charities and owns two beagles.
Lara Trump and Eric Trump adopted their first dog, Charlie, after two years of dating. They added a second beagle, Ben, to their family in 2016.
Trump also serves on the board of directors of The Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Loxahatchee Groves, Florida, the charity’s official website says. Her involvement raised questions in 2021 when HuffPost reported that the organization had spent nearly $1.9 million holding events at Mar-a-Lago and Trump National Golf Club since 2014.
In a statement to the publication, The Big Dog Ranch Rescue’s president, Lauree Simmons, said that events at the Trump properties have netted over $12 million for the organization.
“The sole objective of our fundraisers is to raise as much money as possible to save as many lives as possible,” the charity’s spokesperson, Chase Scott, told the outlet. “Politics play zero role within our organization and to infer they do does a disservice to the many who work and volunteer with a passion to heal and home our beloved dogs.”
She worked as a contributor for Fox News until leaving in 2022 due to her involvement in Donald Trump’s reelection campaign.
Fox News ended Lara Trump’s employment in 2022 due to the network’s policy of not employing those working on active political campaigns, but she still makes unpaid appearances on network shows. Eric Trump is also a regular guest on Fox News programs.
She hosts a podcast called “The Right View.”
On “The Right View,” which premiered in 2020, Lara Trump answers questions from listeners and discusses current events with Trump-world personalities such as My Pillow’s CEO, Mike Lindell, and Chaya Raichik, the founder of Libs of TikTok.
In March, she was elected cochair of the Republican National Committee.
Donald Trump endorsed his daughter-in-law as she ran for the RNC leadership role, calling her “an extremely talented communicator” who is “dedicated to all that MAGA stands for.” He also threw his support behind Michael Whatley, a close ally who served as North Carolina’s GOP chair.
Both handpicked candidates were elected cochairs of the RNC, putting Trump loyalists in control of the GOP’s platform and funds.
Some Trump loyalists called for Lara Trump to fill Sen. Marco Rubio’s Senate seat after Trump nominated him for Secretary of State.
After winning the 2024 election, Donald Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio his nominee for Secretary of State for his forthcoming White House administration, calling him a “Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom” in a statement.
Alabama Sen. Katie Britt and Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna called for Gov. Ron DeSantis to appoint Lara Trump to replace Rubio in the Senate.
“For me, I think she would be a tremendous pick, a voice for hard-working families and another mom of school-aged kids that understands what we’re up against, and that’s to fight to protect the American dream,” Britt told Axios.
Lara Trump previously considered a Senate bid in North Carolina in 2022.
The post Meet Lara Trump, Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law and RNC chair who’s been floated for a Senate seat appeared first on Business Insider.
