Campaign

Rosendale says he still loves Trump, despite endorsement of opponent

by Tara Suter - 02/10/24 4:24 PM ET

Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., and members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus denounce the fiscal year 2024 appropriations process as they decry so-called “woke” spending by Democrats and President Joe Biden, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Matt Rosendale said he still loves former President Trump despite Trump’s recent endorsement of Tim Sheehy, an opponent of the Montana Republican Senate candidate.

“I love President Trump,” Rosendale said in an interview with CNN’s Abby Phillip highlighted by Mediaite after Trump endorsed Sheehy. “He did an incredible job when he was the president, and he’s going to come back and do an incredible job next year when he takes the Oval Office, and I plan to be in the United States Senate next year to help him get that agenda through.”

Rosendale entered Montana’s Republican Senate primary Friday, beginning what’s expected to be a tough race against Sheehy, who has support from top Republicans.

“This morning, I officially filed for the U.S. Senate. We’ve made great accomplishments in the House, only to see them die at the hands of Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer in the Senate. Montanans want a Senator that fights for WE, THE PEOPLE, not the D.C. Cartel!” Rosendale wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

In a response to Rosendale’s entry into the race, a spokesperson for Sheehy linked the businessman and former Navy SEAL to former President Trump, who announced his support for Sheehy Friday.

“Both successful businessmen and political outsiders, President Trump and Tim Sheehy cannot be bought and are the conservative warriors we need to put the people of Montana first, drain the swamp, and save our country from the mess Joe Biden and Jon Tester created,” the spokesperson said.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump called Sheehy an “American Hero” and a “highly successful Businessman from the Great State of Montana.”

“I also respect Matt Rosendale, and was very happy to Endorse him in the past – and will Endorse him again in the future should he decide to change course and run for his Congressional Seat,” Trump wrote.

“But in this instance, Tim is the candidate who is currently best-positioned to DEFEAT Lazy Jon Tester, and Regain the Republican Majority in the United States Senate … America First Patriot Tim Sheehy has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” the former president said.