On Tuesday, President Trump expressed his preference for his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as his “top choice” to run for the seat of retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis in North Carolina come 2026.

“Lara would be an excellent candidate because she grew up in North Carolina,” Trump remarked to reporters aboard Air Force One when questioned about his preferred successor for Tillis in the Senate.

Trump noted a potential issue, mentioning that Lara and her husband, Eric Trump, currently reside in Florida rather than North Carolina.

“They have a very good life, and they, you know, they’re great people,” the president continued. “She did fantastically running the RNC. She’s even got a show that’s like the number one show.” 

Lara, 42, was born in Wilmington, NC, and served as the co-chair of the Republican National Committee during Trump’s stunning 2024 political comeback and landslide win in last year’s presidential election. 

The North Carolina State University graduate currently hosts “My View with Lara Trump” on Fox News. 

“She’s done well,” the president said of his daughter-in-law. “She’s a great person. Lara Trump. I mean that would always be my first choice, but she doesn’t live there now – but she’s there all the time.” 

“Her parents are there, you know, she really knows North Carolina well.” 

While Lara lives in Jupiter, Fla., with her husband and two children, the Constitution only requires senators to reside in the state they seek to represent at the time of the election. 

Charlotte-based local news outlet WCNC, however, determined that Lara would need to move back to North Carolina by September to meet the state’s 90-day party affiliation requirement for political candidates. 

Tillis, who has served in the Senate since 2015, announced Sunday that he wouldn’t seek re-election in 2026 after voting against advancing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

Lara addressed speculation about her political future that same day on her Fox News show.   

“A lot of people probably remember I’ve considered kind of running for or filling a Senate seat, now, this would be the third time,” she said, according to Newsweek. “The first time was actually during the midterms in ’22. Ted Budd ultimately ran for the GOP and won that Senate seat there in North Carolina. And then obviously Marco Rubio in Florida, vacating his Senate seat to become our incredible secretary of state.”

“The timing of both of those didn’t really work out for me and to be fully transparent, I would love to do it.”

“This is all kind of fresh within the past 24 hours for me, really learning that this was a viable option and that Senator Tillis wouldn’t be seeking reelection,” she added. “So look, I’m considering it.”

The president told reporters that he hasn’t spoken to Lara about running for Tillis seat yet, and that he expects at least one House rep out of North Carolina to pursue the seat in 2026.