Donald Trump Backs Primary Challenge To GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy

WASHINGTON ― Donald Trump encouraged a primary challenge against Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) despite Cassidy’s best efforts to ingratiate himself to the president, including providing the hugely consequential vote last year to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Trump’s health secretary.

In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump urged Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.) to run for the seat held by Cassidy, a medical doctor who voted to convict Trump in his impeachment trial after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021.

“Should she decide to enter this Race, Julia Letlow has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, JULIA, RUN!!!” Trump wrote in the post.

Letlow said she was “honored” to have Trump’s endorsement but did not reveal her plans to run in the February primary. The three-term congresswoman indicated in recent weeks that support from the president would help tip the scales in favor of challenging Cassidy, according to NBC News.

“My mission is clear: to ensure the nation our children inherit is safer and stronger,” Letlow said in a statement. “This United States Senate seat belongs to the people of Louisiana, because we deserve conservative leadership that will not waver.”

Cassidy, meanwhile, vowed to prevail even if Letlow decides to jump in.

“I’m proudly running for re-election as a principled conservative who gets things done for the people of Louisiana,” the senator said in a statement. “If Congresswoman Letlow decides to run I am confident I will win.”

But Trump’s endorsement of Letlow is a huge blow to the senator, who has been intently focused on repairing his relationship with Trump following the Jan. 6 impeachment trial. Cassidy provided the pivotal vote to confirm RFK Jr. knowing full well that he opposed vaccine science. As chairman of the Senate’s health committee, which has oversight of RFK Jr.’s department, Cassidy has done little since then to push back on the health secretary’s massive changes to federal vaccine guidelines that have deeply alarmed health experts, and Cassidy himself.

Trump’s endorsement of Letlow is also another headache for Senate GOP leaders, who are trying to avoid messy and expensive primaries around the country in order to keep control of the Senate next year. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-La.) appeared with Cassidy at an event in Baton Rouge to tout the GOP’s tax cuts on Friday, just a day before Trump’s announcement.

@SenBillCassidy to highlight how our landmark legislation is helping small businesses and the employees who support them. pic.twitter.com/72kw6eDYNQ

— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) January 16, 2026

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The Working Families Tax Cuts are benefiting people in every corner of the country, including here in Louisiana. Glad to be with my friend @SenBillCassidy to highlight how our landmark legislation is helping small businesses and the employees who support them. pic.twitter.com/72kw6eDYNQ

— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) January 16, 2026

Donald Trump Backs Primary Challenge To GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy

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