Donald Trump names Joe Gruters to Homeland Security Advisory Council

Joe Gruters takes an interest in Hillsborough party politics.

President Donald Trump has named Sen. Joe Gruters, a 2026 candidate for Chief Financial Officer, to the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC).

The Sarasota Republican will work through the Council with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to advise the federal agency. Gruters embraced the assignment.

“When President Trump asked me to run for Chief Financial Officer of Florida, I immediately said ‘yes’ knowing you never pass up an opportunity to serve the President and the great state of Florida,” Gruters said. “The same goes with this appointment. There is nothing more important than the safety and security of the American people and I accept this appointment with the gravity it deserves.”

Noem sent the formal notification to Gruters of his appointment on behalf of herself and the President. Gruters will serve as a special employee of the agency and serve for a three-year term.

“I am honored and grateful that you are willing to serve as a member of the HSAC,” Noem’s message reads.

The Council provides organizationally independent advice and recommendations to the Secretary, including the creation and implementation of critical and actionable policies for American security.

It also conducts research and provides policy analysis and recommendations on a variety of security issues and evaluates the impact of security-related public and private policies in an attempt to formulate prospective security policies.

Gruters has served in the Florida Senate since 2018, and before that served two years in the House. He also currently serves as the Treasurer for the Republican National Committee.

A close ally of Trump, he has the President’s endorsement for his statewide run for CFO in 2026.

The position right now sits vacant, following former CFO Jimmy Patronis’ election to Congress. Gov. Ron DeSantis will name a replacement to serve out the remainder of Patronis’ term, but DeSantis has had an up-and-down relationship with Gruters.

The Governor did recently pose with Gruters for a signing in his office of legislation requiring the identification of the Gulf of America in textbooks.