President Donald Trump on Monday threw his weight behind Steve Hilton, the British-born commentator running for California governor, handing the Republican hopeful a high-profile boost less than two months before the June primary. The endorsement lands in the middle of a crowded field and a split Democratic vote, turning what many expected to be a state-first contest into a nationally watched brawl. For California voters, the question now is whether a Trump nod can turn name recognition into actual turnout in the June 2 top-two primary.
As reported by Reuters, Trump announced his support in a post on his Truth Social account, declaring that "Steve Hilton has my COMPLETE & TOTAL ENDORSEMENT." The post is archived and viewable on Truth Social, where Trump frames Hilton as the candidate who can "turn it around" for California. It is Trump’s most visible move so far in the governor’s race and immediately boosts Hilton's national profile.
Why the nod matters
California uses a top-two open primary, so the two highest vote-getters on June 2 will advance to November regardless of party. That setup means a unified Republican vote could, in theory, edge Democrats out of the general election entirely. The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Hilton and fellow Republican Chad Bianco clustered near the front of an unsettled pack, creating exactly the scenario strategists have been gaming out. If Trump’s endorsement nudges conservative voters to coalesce around one candidate, it could force late shifts in ad buys, messaging, and turnout models heading into June.
Hilton's pitch and background
Hilton served as director of strategy for former British prime minister David Cameron before moving to California and later hosting a Fox News program. He has been running as an outsider promising to tackle crime, homelessness, and the state's tax burden. According to Wikipedia and news reporting, Hilton holds dual UK-U.S. citizenship and has tried to cast his bid as managerial rather than purely ideological. Critics lean on his television profile to paint him as a media figure first, but his campaign messaging stays focused on practical fixes for housing and public safety.
What comes next
Campaign pros expect a fast-moving rush of endorsements, fresh ad spending, and sharpened attacks as candidates jostle for position ahead of filing deadlines and the June primary. Governor Gavin Newsom’s proclamation and the Secretary of State's election calendar both confirm the June 2, 2026 statewide direct primary and the top-two structure that turns every major endorsement into a potentially pivotal moment. Operatives on all sides say the next six weeks will show whether a national stamp of approval actually converts into local votes.
Local money and the national spotlight
Closer to home, early donor filings suggest the race has already begun to attract some unexpected money. Hoodline reported a small Sergey Brin donation to Hilton's committee in March, a reminder that Silicon Valley cash does not always line up neatly with party labels. With Trump now pulling even more national attention toward Sacramento, the contest is shaping up to be as much about turnout engineering and coalition-building as it is about competing policy plans.
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