Donald Trump Endorses Pamela Evette

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by WILL FOLKS

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Two weeks ago, our media outlet exclusively reported on rumors of a corrupt bargain between South Carolina governor Henry McMaster and the administration of president Donald Trump.

Derided by one critic as a “political drug deal,” McMaster’s office reportedly asked Trump to consider endorsing his lieutenant governor and preferred successor, lieutenant governor Pamela Evette, in exchange for the governor recalling the S.C. General Assembly to take up Trump’s proposed redrawing of the Palmetto State’s political maps.

McMaster called the special legislative session – although he and Evette failed spectacularly in pushing Trump’s controversial political maps across the finish line. Earlier this week, the S.C. Senate voted against moving the new boundaries forward – which many believed was the death knell for an Evette endorsement.

Whatever McMaster did, though, it was apparently enough to warrant the bestowal of Trump’s imprimatur on his second-in-command.

In a shocking move, Trump announced his “complete and total endorsement” of Evette on Friday evening (May 29, 2026), calling her a “successful entrepreneur, businesswoman and civic leader, prior to becoming a distinguished lieutenant governor.”

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“Pam has proven she has the courage and wisdom to deliver strong results for the people of her wonderful state, and our nation,” Trump wrote. “As your next governor, Pam will fight hard to grow the economy, cut taxes and regulations, promote Made in the U.S.A., champion our amazing farmers and ranchers, keep our border SECURE, stop migrant crime, strengthen our military/veterans, safeguard our elections, and protect our always under siege Second Amendment.”

What has Evette actually done on any of those fronts? It’s not entirely clear… but she wasted little time in trumpeting Trump’s assertions.

“I am deeply honored to receive President Trump’s complete and total endorsement for governor of South Carolina,” Evette wrote. “Thank you, Mr. President!”

In a move akin to putting his fingerprints on the alleged quid pro quo, Trump directly referenced a critical component of the rumored corrupt bargain – Evette’s selection of McMaster’s son, Henry D. McMaster Jr., as her 2026 running mate.

“A BIG added plus for Pam is that, I hear, Henry McMaster, Jr., the brilliant and very competent son of Henry and Peggy, will be running with her as the next lieutenant governor,” Trump wrote.

The proverbial quiet part out loud, if you will…

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RELATED | A ‘POLITICAL DRUG DEAL?’

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News of McMaster Jr.’s potential selection as lieutenant governor was also first reported by FITSNews back in January of this year. According to our sources, it was one of the conditions attached to the Trump endorsement.

One state senator told us an administration official confirmed the quid pro quo to them, while another indicated the deal was sealed when Trump backtracked on appointing S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) major Frank O’Neal as the next United States Marshal for South Carolina to make way for McMaster’s preferred choice.

Trump’s decision to back Evette was even more surprising considering two of her opponents (Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman) are members of the U.S. Congress, where Republicans are currently clinging to a razor-thin majority. A third member of congress, Joe Wilson, is the father of S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson – the consistent frontrunner in the gubernatorial contest.

“No one’s fought harder or risked more for President Trump and his agenda than I have,” Alan Wilson said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing to deliver real results for South Carolina families as their next governor. And congratulations to Pam Evette for picking Henry McMaster Jr. to be her running mate.”

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As for Mace, she issued a statement saying her vote to demand transparency on the release of the Epstein Files “put the likelihood of an endorsement on the line.”

“I demanded it because you deserved the truth – ALL OF IT – and as a survivor, I had to get justice for these women,” Mace said. “If this is the price of an endorsement, I will never pay it. South Carolina deserves a governor who answers to her people, not to the establishment, and not to anyone who believes accountability is negotiable.”

Lowcountry multimillionaire Rom Reddy, who has branded himself as a Trump-style outsider, said he never sought the president’s endorsement because “this was between you, the voters of South Carolina, and me and still believe that.

“Congratulations to Pam Evette for getting the President’s endorsement and Henry McMaster Jr. for getting the endorsement as her running mate for lieutenant governor,” Reddy said. “This is something Pam coveted and has been seeking for several months. As many of you know, I was in a very small group of million-dollar individual donors to the President’s 2024 campaign when Nikki Haley was still in the race. I do believe the President rescued the country from potential disaster with Kamala.”

Polls taken just before Trump’s endorsement showed Wilson and Reddy leading the GOP field, with Evette in fifth place behind Mace and Norman.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

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