Coaching Legend Lou Holtz Endorses Trump President

Lou Holtz came out for Donald Trump on Saturday. The former Notre Dame coach, who won a national title with the Irish in 1988 and later built programs at South Carolina and Minnesota, said the real estate mogul has the right mix of toughness and straight talk to fix what’s wrong in Washington.

Holtz made the endorsement during an appearance on a conservative radio show. He called Trump a proven winner who doesn’t back down when things get rough, contrasting him with career politicians who, in Holtz’s view, talk big but deliver little. The coach also praised Trump’s business record and said the country needs someone from outside the system to shake things up.

At 78, Holtz remains one of the most recognizable voices in college football. His endorsement carries weight with older, sports-minded voters in the South and Midwest, two regions where Trump has been working hard to lock down support ahead of the first primary votes. The coach stopped short of attacking the rest of the Republican field by name, but he made clear he thinks Trump stands apart on immigration and trade.

Trump’s campaign quickly highlighted the nod on social media. With just a few months left before voting begins, the move gives the candidate another familiar name to point to as he tries to convince primary voters he’s more than a flashy outsider.