How Trump's 'Complete and Total Endorsement' has reshaped the Republican Party

President Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix on April 17. Trump's endorsement is a powerful tool for Republican candidates and it's coming earlier than ever. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Win McNamee/Getty Images Few things in modern Republican politics are as powerful as a Truth Social post from President Trump offering his "Complete and Total Endorsement" of a candidate running for office. Since his first term in office began in 2017, Trump has offered his seal of approval more than 1,000 times in House, Senate and governor's races. An NPR analysis of who Trump endorsed and when — and what happened in those races — sheds new light on how Trump has evolved as kingmaker in the Republican Party. NPR's analysis finds Trump has shifted his endorsement strategy in a way that effectively clears the field for his chosen candidates: announcing his support earlier than ever and backing more incumbents in safe seats who sail to victory. In the 2018 midterms, the average Trump endorsement in a primary came about seven weeks before that election. In 2026, that number is closer to seven months. That means the average endorsement in this midterm cycle has come more than a full year before the November general election, compared to about three months before in 2018. An increasing share of Trump's endorsements go to incumbents — about two-thirds of his overall total in these races since 2017 and nearly 75% of the announcements this cycle. …