"The politics bug bit me": Donald Trump Jr. is now discussing running for governor of New York

The president's son is an open supporter of pro-gun movements — and a covert supporter of racist movements

By Matthew Rozsa

Staff Writer

Published April 6, 2017 8:48PM (EDT)

Donald Trump, Jr., son of Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump, speaks during the second day session of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Tuesday, July 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Donald Trump, Jr., son of Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump, speaks during the second day session of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Tuesday, July 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

If Donald Trump Jr. has his way, his presidential father won't be the only Trump to make waves in American politics.

During a meeting at F6 Labs gun club in Hicksville, NY, Trump Jr. told attendees that he was considering running for governor of New York, according to a report by Page Six. The president's eldest son specifically stated that he would not be as interested in running for mayor of New York City, adding that he had zero interest in the United States Senate or House of Representatives.

"Do I want to be behind the scenes and be a mouthpiece and fight back against crazy liberal media? Maybe.” Trump Jr. said. He later added, "Going back to doing deals is boring after 18 months. The politics bug bit me."

Although Trump Jr. did not identify a year in which he would run, the next gubernatorial election in New York is occurring in 2018, when incumbent Democrat Andrew Cuomo will be up for reelection.

Trump Jr. is best known for his pro-gun advocacy — he has posted photographs of himself after hunting such animals as an elephant and a leopard — but he also has connections to white nationalists and others in the alt-right. This includes speaking to a white supremacist radio host last March, sending out racist retweets, and appearing in a Mississippi town most famous for the murder of three civil rights workers to defend the Confederate flag, arguing that "I believe in tradition. I don’t see a lot of the nonsense that’s been created about that."

It will be interesting to see how news of Trump Jr.'s interest in New York politics will be received in comparison to the recent speculation (and repeated denials) that Chelsea Clinton may be eyeing a run for office in the Empire State.


By Matthew Rozsa

Matthew Rozsa is a staff writer at Salon. He received a Master's Degree in History from Rutgers-Newark in 2012 and was awarded a science journalism fellowship from the Metcalf Institute in 2022.

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Donald Trump Donald Trump Jr. Elections Gun Control Gun Rights New York Political Dynasty Trump Family