Trump campaign sends cease and desist letter to Virginia's Bob Good for implying endorsement

Former President Donald Trump's presidential campaign on Friday sent a "cease and desist" letter to Virginia GOP Rep. Bob Good, ordering him to stop trying to imply that the former president has endorsed his reelection. 

Lawyers for Trump accused the incumbent of producing signs and other materials that imply Trump endorsed his reelection bid, when Trump endorsed Good's opponent John McGuire on Tuesday. The lawmaker had also been using Trump's endorsement from the 2022 primaries to promote his 2024 campaign, according to the Washington Examiner.

Good lost the support of the former president last year, after he endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the Republican nomination for president. But the congressman attempted to repair the relationship after DeSantis suspended his campaign, by endorsing Trump and making an appearance at Trump's hush money trial.

“To be clear, neither you nor your campaign are authorized to use President Trump’s name or the Campaign’s to falsely imply their support of your candidacy,” the letter said, according to Punchbowl News' Mica Soellner. “Nor are you or your campaign authorized to claim that you represent or are otherwise associated with President Trump or the Campaign.”

Trump's lawyers said Good's actions of using the former president's name to try and win over voters was a "fraud on the voters of Virginia’s 5th Congressional District," and an abuse of their trust.

“There are a lot of unscrupulous people and groups who seek to make money off President Trump’s name and Campaign,” the letter said. “President Trump is very concerned with ensuring that his supporters are not deceived into thinking they are contributing to a candidate — like you — that President Trump does not support.”

Good has not commented on the "cease and desist" letter publicly so far. The Republican primaries in Virginia will take place on June 18.