A Florida radio station has experienced a significant increase in ratings following its rebranding as "Trump Country" 93.7 FM. The station, WHEL, located in Fort Myers, has adopted a pro-Trump theme, featuring President Donald Trump as its central figure. The station's slogan is "Make Country Great Again," and it employs promotional materials that resemble Trump campaign advertisements. Additionally, WHEL airs comedic segments voiced by a Trump impersonator and incorporates an AI-generated image of Trump wearing a cowboy hat in its logo.

Jim Schwartzel, the president and general manager of WHEL, explained the decision to rebrand. "We made the rebrand decision shortly after President Donald Trump’s election landslide and witnessed all of the support in our area for Trump in boat parades and rallies. So, we made the decision that we would also celebrate Trump’s win by rebranding on inauguration day," he said.

Since the rebranding, Schwartzel reported that audience feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. He noted that listeners are engaging with the station for extended periods, with WHEL recording the highest time spent listening (TSL) among country stations in the area, averaging five hours and 45 minutes per week. The station has also tripled its ratings in the key demographic of adults aged 25 to 54 since March, according to Nielsen Radio Data.

In Lee County, where WHEL is based, Trump secured 64% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election. Schwartzel emphasized the station's commitment to local content, stating, "We love keeping it local and serving Southwest Florida’s unique audience, reflecting their values, music, and culture."

One of the station's recent promotions featured a satirical segment in which a Trump impersonator offered listeners a chance to win a trip to Mexico on a "big, beautiful cruise ship," humorously labeled as a special deportation contest. The impersonator quipped, "You want to be deported? You’ve got to listen. That’s how it works, legal listening only."

Schwartzel mentioned that the station's staff creates all promotional content in-house. "Sometimes we have over 50 liners for a single promotion. We take lots of callers and play them back on the radio," he said. "This is about entrepreneurship, innovation, and having fun on local radio."

WHEL also runs a promotion called "The Cancel Bowl," where listeners can leave voicemails describing what they consider the "most pathetic woke thing you’ve seen." Each week, one caller wins a "Trump Country Tailgate Command Kit," which includes items like a flamethrower grill starter and a rack of ribs. Another winner receives the "Freedom Five Thousand," a cash prize of $5,000 to spend on items like guns, grills, and flags.

The station has also branded a 1985 Ford F-150 with its "Trump Country" logo. In addition to his role at the station, Schwartzel is running for Congress as a Republican candidate, aiming to fill the seat currently held by Rep. Byron Donalds. His campaign website states, "Jim is running for Congress to give President Donald J. Trump the support he needs and to fight for the conservative values that make Southwest Florida strong."

The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the station's rebranding and its implications.