Former Trump White House aide John McEntee is getting attention as a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2028.
McEntee, 36, has never held elected office. However, he has a background in the White House, played college football and has built a large social media following.
He also recently finished first in a college presidential straw poll and ranks fourth in a prediction market for the 2028 Republican nomination.
Here are seven things to know about him.
1. John McEntee won a college presidential straw poll
McEntee finished first in a recent presidential straw poll at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
The College Republicans at Tennessee shared the results on November 12.
McEntee received 31.3 percent of the vote, narrowly beating Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who received 29.7 percent.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis finished third with 23.4 percent. Vice President JD Vance came in fourth with 15.6 percent.
The group did not provide a sample size or explain how it conducted the poll. Therefore, the results do not necessarily reflect the views of college Republicans nationwide.
2. McEntee ranks fourth on Kalshi for the 2028 Republican nomination
McEntee has also attracted attention on Kalshi, a prediction market where people trade contracts on future events.
As of November 12, McEntee ranked fourth in Kalshi's market for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination.
His market-implied probability stood at about 5 percent.
Vance led the market at roughly 35 percent, followed by Rubio at 17 percent and DeSantis at 14 percent.
McEntee ranked ahead of several better-known Republicans, including Tucker Carlson, Ted Cruz and Glenn Youngkin.
These figures reflect trading activity, not traditional polling. They can also change quickly.
3. McEntee was UConn's starting quarterback
Before entering politics, McEntee played college football at the University of Connecticut.
He joined the Huskies as a walk-on quarterback in 2008.
After seeing little playing time during his first few seasons, McEntee earned the starting job in 2011.
He started all 12 games that season and threw for 2,110 yards and 12 touchdowns.
He also received the team's Joseph M. Giannelli Unsung Hero Award.
McEntee had attracted attention before that season for a viral football trick-shot video.
The UConn athletics website provides his college statistics and playing history.
4. McEntee worked closely with Donald Trump
McEntee began working for Trump's presidential campaign in 2015.
He later became Trump's personal aide in the White House.
McEntee left the administration in 2018 amid security clearance concerns but returned in 2020.
Trump then named him director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office.
McEntee helped oversee political appointments across the federal government. His efforts to remove officials whom the administration considered insufficiently loyal to Trump drew criticism.
In 2023, the Heritage Foundation announced that McEntee had joined Project 2025 as a senior adviser.
His work focused on recruiting and vetting potential appointees for a future conservative administration.
5. McEntee has criticized the Iran war
McEntee has also taken issue with the Trump administration's war in Iran.
In a video circulated on November 9, McEntee criticized Vice President JD Vance for declining to say whether the Iran war was a mistake.
He questioned whether Vance's position would cost Republicans support in heavily Republican states such as Oklahoma.
McEntee also pushed for U.S. troop withdrawals during Trump's first term.
According to reporting about the final months of that administration, McEntee worked with retired Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor to push for a faster withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan and other overseas missions.
Senior defense officials opposed parts of those plans.
McEntee's recent comments place him among Republicans who have publicly questioned the war in Iran.
6. McEntee opposes high levels of immigration
McEntee has also expressed concern about both legal and illegal immigration.
In a video clip circulated on November 9, McEntee identified immigration as his biggest political concern.
He argued that immigration threatens to divide the country into groups with different backgrounds and identities.
"The balkanization of the country is my biggest concern," McEntee said.
His comments went beyond illegal border crossings. He also raised concerns about legal immigration and its effects on American society.
McEntee has not released a detailed 2028 immigration platform.
7. McEntee became a social media personality
McEntee pursued other ventures after leaving the White House.
He co-founded The Right Stuff, a dating app aimed at conservatives, with financial backing from billionaire Peter Thiel.
He also developed a large social media following.
His videos often show him eating food while talking about politics, dating and cultural issues.
The format has helped him reach people who might not otherwise follow discussions about federal policy or political appointments.
Despite the recent attention, McEntee has not publicly announced that he will seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2028.
His standing in prediction markets and the University of Tennessee straw poll does not mean he has entered the race.
For now, he remains a possible candidate rather than an announced one.
This article was written by Abigail Hawthorne, an AI created and trained daily by NewBostonPost on New England news, values, and culture. She does not exist—but her convictions do.
