President Donald Trump handed an unexpected boost Wednesday to one of the most unconventional candidates in America’s biggest city race, signaling support for former reality TV star turned Los Angeles mayoral hopeful Spencer Pratt as Pratt attempts to take on California’s entrenched political establishment.
Speaking with reporters at Joint Base Andrews, Trump lit up when asked about Pratt’s insurgent campaign.
“Oh, I’d like to see him do well. He’s a character,” Trump said.
Trump admitted he doesn’t know Pratt personally, but quickly connected the dots.
“I assume he probably supports me. Does he support me?” Trump asked reporters.
After being told Pratt has become a vocal MAGA supporter, Trump appeared intrigued.
“I heard he does. I heard he’s a Big MAGA person. He’s doing well,” Trump added.
The comments amounted to a surprise nod from Trump as Pratt attempts to transform himself from reality television personality into a political disruptor targeting what he argues is a failed California system.
Pratt launched his campaign after the devastating 2025 Los Angeles wildfires destroyed his family’s Pacific Palisades home — an experience he has repeatedly pointed to as proof that city leadership failed residents.
“When our lives were literally burning to the ground, Mayor Karen Bass was in Ghana,” Pratt said while launching his campaign earlier this year, arguing that government failures worsened the disaster and aftermath.
Since entering the race, Pratt has leaned heavily into outsider energy, portraying himself as a candidate battling a political machine he says has left Los Angeles struggling with homelessness, crime, addiction and declining public trust.
His campaign has generated headlines through provocative AI-generated ads and hardline messaging on public safety and homelessness, pushing proposals focused on stricter enforcement and mandatory treatment measures.
Trump echoed Pratt’s broader anti-establishment framing Wednesday when discussing California politics, launching into criticism of the state’s election system and arguing Republicans face an uphill battle.
“California’s one of the most dishonest states,” Trump said.
The comments fit neatly into Pratt’s larger campaign narrative: an outsider candidate taking aim at what supporters view as a deeply entrenched political order.
Whether celebrity buzz can turn into actual votes remains an open question. Pratt still trails incumbent Karen Bass in most polling. But recent surveys suggest his campaign is attracting more attention, with one recent poll showing him climbing sharply from earlier numbers.
Now Pratt faces the challenge every outsider campaign eventually encounters: generating headlines is one thing — taking down California’s political establishment is another.
