A curious report has emerged from Florida, where a local country music station has embraced Donald Trump’s image and branded itself as “Trump Country.” Despite CBS News correspondent Scott MacFarlane’s attempt to frame the move as controversial, the reaction has been muted at best.
WHEL 93.7 FM in Fort Myers features Trump’s likeness in a cowboy hat along with the slogan “Make Country Great Again.” The station’s general manager admitted, “We didn’t ask for permission,” acknowledging the similarity between its branding and the Trump-Vance campaign’s imagery. Yet no legal challenges or political backlash have followed.
MacFarlane suggested the promotional move could alienate listeners, but the numbers tell a different story. Since rebranding in March, the station has tripled ratings among adults 25-54, and July Nielsen ratings showed it as the second-highest-rated country station in the region.
CBS reportedly reached out for pushback but found little interest. Representatives for Trump declined to comment, and the Florida Democratic Party offered no response.
Instead of controversy, the station has seen success. Its audience has grown, undercutting CBS’s effort to frame the branding as scandalous. The attempt to generate outrage landed with a thud, met mostly with indifference in “Trump Country.”
