Royce White is a former professional basketball player turned right-wing political activist and podcaster running for the Republican nomination in the 2026 U.S. Senate election. Born in Minneapolis in 1991, he was the 2009 Minnesota Mr. Basketball and led Hopkins High School to an undefeated 31-0 season. He played college basketball for Iowa State, leading the team in every major statistical category in 2011-12, and was selected in the first round of the 2012 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. His NBA career was brief, playing only three games for the Rockets and Sacramento Kings before leaving due to struggles with generalized anxiety disorder and a fear of flying. After retiring from professional basketball, White pursued mixed martial arts and later became involved in right-wing activism. In 2022, he unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. In 2024, he won the Minnesota GOP's endorsement and primary nomination for U.S. Senate but lost to incumbent Democrat Amy Klobuchar by approximately 16 points (56% to 40%). He announced in November 2024 that he would run again in 2026 for the now-open Senate seat.
Royce White was born in Minneapolis in 1991. He was an elite basketball player, named Minnesota Mr. Basketball in 2009 after leading Hopkins High School to an undefeated 31-0 season. He played college basketball for Iowa State and was selected in the first round of the 2012 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. His professional basketball career was cut short due to struggles with generalized anxiety disorder and a fear of flying. He left the NBA and pursued mixed martial arts training. White has a history of mental health challenges and has faced court actions related to child support payments. He has four children. After his basketball career, White became involved in right-wing activism starting in 2021, brokered through connections with Steve Bannon. His political trajectory has included increasingly extreme rhetoric and positions, including antisemitic conspiracy theories and misogynistic statements. He gained prominence through political podcasting and right-wing media appearances.
Right-wing populist opposed to GOP establishment and traditional conservatism
Positions himself as fighting against 'the swamp,' corporate interests, and establishment figures. Uses slogan 'The People Are Coming' and 'we get the government we deserve.'
Voting History: No federal voting record
Opposes what he describes as globalism and New World Order
Campaign rhetoric emphasizes local sovereignty against global corporate interests. Website references fighting 'globalist agenda' and 'corporate community responsible for this globalist agenda.'
Voting History: No federal voting record; policy positions expressed through campaign rhetoric
White has not served in federal office and has no voting record in Congress. His political record includes unsuccessful 2022 run for Minnesota's 5th Congressional District (lost to Cicely Davis) and 2024 Senate race loss to Amy Klobuchar.
White's social media presence is aggressive, conspiracy-minded, and inflammatory. Posts frequently contain misleading information, crude language, and controversial statements. Tone is populist and anti-establishment but frequently crosses into promoting harmful conspiracy theories.
'The bad guys won World War II' - controversial WWII revisionism post that resurfaced during 2024 campaign
Sparked widespread condemnation from VoteVets and others; example of controversial historical statements
View post →Tweeted map of drinking fountains in Minneapolis, claiming it was a map of crimes, creating false impression of crime locations
Example of misleading or false information shared on social media
View post →Criticized Republicans focused on 'suburban women' as having a 'cucked mentality'
Example of crude political rhetoric and disparagement of women voters
View post →Posted announcement of 2026 Senate campaign run along with photo with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's health secretary
Signals continued alignment with Trump administration and RFK Jr.
View post →White is antisemitic, an 'avid promoter of antisemitic conspiracy theories and avid defender of egregious antisemites, including Stew Peters, Louis Farrakhan and Kanye West'
RJC endorsed White's 2024 primary opponent Joe Fraser instead of White despite White winning party endorsement
White perpetrates 'tired and reprehensible antisemitic tropes of Jewish elites controlling the Federal Reserve' and has made 'habitual antisemitism' a centerpiece of his rhetoric
2024 campaign statement following White's July 4, 2024 remarks at Federal Reserve
White has a 'long history of anti-Jewish rhetoric' and made antisemitic statements throughout his campaign
2024 primary election competition
Other Republican party members are 'going to keep [White] six feet away' due to accusations about campaign spending and his controversial behavior
Concerns about White's viability and reliability as party standard bearer