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A Florida country radio station has rebranded itself as “Trump Country” in honor of President Donald Trump, a move its general manager says has fueled a surge in ratings and doubled as a political branding tool in one of the state’s most Republican strongholds.
“We didn’t ask for permission,” 93.7 WEHL’s Jim Schwartzel told CBS News. “But I don’t think that the president or anybody else would really be upset by it. We looked at it as comedy.”
The Fort Myers station rolled out the new name on the day of Trump’s second inauguration, adopting the slogan “Make Country Great Again.” Its rebranding included a voice actor mimicking Trump, website images of the former president wearing a cowboy hat, and promotional stunts designed to lean heavily into MAGA culture, according to Mediaite.
Listeners are invited to leave voicemails and compete for prizes, such as the “Trump Country Tailgate Command Kit,” which includes a flamethrower grill starter, a rack of ribs, a camouflage cutting board and flag toothpicks. Another prize, the “Freedom Five Thousand,” offers $5,000 to spend on “guns, grills, steaks, ammo, flags, or anything guaranteed to trigger your liberal cousin.”
Schwartzel, a Republican who recently launched a congressional campaign in Florida’s 19th District, said the rebrand has tripled the station’s ratings among the 25- to 54-year-old age group. He framed the move as both a business decision and an entertainment play.
The district, now represented by Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who is running for governor, covers Lee County, where Trump secured 64 percent of the vote in 2024. Schwartzel acknowledged that the “Trump Country” branding fits naturally in a region so strongly aligned with the former president.
His campaign website emphasizes “conservative values” and pledges to support Trump’s agenda, stating that he is running “to give President Donald J. Trump the support he needs.” Schwartzel said the station’s renaming occurred months before he declared his candidacy and noted that he avoids appearing on-air to steer clear of federal equal-time requirements for political candidates.
