A Florida radio station has rebranded with the full flair of President Donald Trump’s political movement. From a voice impersonator to a “Deportation a Day” cruise contest, “Trump Country 93.7” is all in.
As first reported by CBS News, WHEL-FM — once a rock station based in Sanibel and Fort Myers — flipped formats and rebranded as “Trump Country 93.7” on Inauguration Day 2025. It wasn’t a decision made overnight.
“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,” Jim Schwartzel, the station’s president and general manager, told Straight Arrow News by email. “We made the decision that we would also celebrate Trump’s win by rebranding on inauguration day.”
Redditors point out they tested the rebrand out during the previous election, too.
The rebrand puts “Trump Country 93.7” in competition with other local country stations, “101.9 Gator Country” and “Cat Country 107.1.”
What listeners hear on-air
The station leans into the brand heavily. Between songs, a Trump impersonator makes announcements like, “Believe me, we’re going to play so much music — tremendous music. Lots of hits. Definitely not a total disaster.”
Though it’s not the real president, the station uses a voice actor who closely mimics him. Its website and branding also feature a cowboy hat-wearing Trump in a signature suit, styled with MAGA-adjacent typography. Small print confirms it’s an AI-generated image.
A cruise promotion called “Deportation a Day”
One of the station’s recent giveaways was titled “Deportation a Day,” a contest offering Carnival Cruise gift cards.
Promos for the contest included the Trump voice actor and a Latino man exchanging lines like, “No need to worry, amigos, this is the fun type of deportation.”
Participants were asked to leave voicemails explaining why they should be “deported.” The website joked the winners would be sent “legally-ish, across the Gulf of America to the land of Margaritas, Tacos, and occasional Heartburn.”
Schwartzel said the station writes and records all of the content.
“Sometimes we have over 50 liners for a single promotion,” he said. “We take lots of callers and play them back on the radio.”
Local reactions and national attention
Reaction to the station has been mixed online. Some Reddit users say they miss the previous rock format, while others on X praised the bold rebrand. Since then, it has found a loyal following — especially among younger adults.
“The feedback has been tremendous,” said Schwartzel. “The people who have found the station celebrate and listen for long periods of time.”
Ratings tell the story
According to data shared with SAN, WHEL’s ratings have tripled among adults ages 25 to 54 since the rebrand. That’s the most important demographic and daypart in the industry: Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The station is now:
- No. 4 overall in the Fort Myers-Naples market.
- The No. 1 country station among adults 25–54.
- Averaging five hours and 45 minutes per listener per week — the highest TSL, or time spent listening, of any country station.
While radio is not dead, ratings show it is slowly declining. From October to December 2024, Nielsen data shows listeners spent 67% of their daily listening time with ad-supported radio. The remaining spent 18% of their time with podcasts, 12% on streaming music, and 3% with satellite radio.
Edison Research found that during the second quarter of 2025, AM/FM audio still accounted for over one-third of total daily audio listening.
A brand made for Southwest Florida
In a county where 63.6% of voters backed Trump in the 2024 presidential race, WHEL’s rebrand was more than just a marketing gamble — it was a direct appeal to local identity.
“We love keeping it local and serving Southwest Florida’s unique audience, reflecting their values, music, and culture,” Schwartzel said.
To reinforce the brand, Schwartzel told SAN they even bought a 1985 Ford F-150 wrapped in “Trump Country 93.7” logos — bringing the theme of country to the streets, too.
A radio survival strategy
With music streaming services competing for listeners’ attention, stations like WHEL are finding new ways to stay relevant. And for “Trump Country 93.7,” that means unapologetic and uniquely local.
“This is about entrepreneurship, innovation and having fun on local radio,” Schwartzel said.
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