Robert O’Brien, former President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, is not going to run for Mitt Romney’s Senate seat despite being urged to by members of Congress, a person familiar with the matter told POLITICO.
O’Brien is announcing his formal decision later this morning on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show.
O’Brien, who recently moved to Utah, believes that there’s a deep Republican bench in Utah and hopes the seat stays Republican, the person said. State House Speaker Brad Wilson has already set up an exploratory committee for the seat, and Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs launched a campaign in May.
POLITICO reported last week that several hawkish Republicans had encouraged O’Brien to run, including China Select Committee Chair Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.).
O’Brien has never run for elected office before. After the Trump administration, he co-founded and is the chairman of international consulting and advisory firm American Global Strategies and is a partner emeritus at the law firm Larson.
Before the end of the Trump administration, O’Brien told friends and colleagues that he was interested in potentially running for president in 2024, although he never mounted a run.
