President Donald Trump endorsed Republican New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean Jr. on Monday, despite Kean’s extended absence from Congress. Kean, who represents New Jersey’s 7th congressional district, has been missing from floor votes since March and has not participated in a House roll call vote since March 5. He missed 20% of votes cast between January and March.
“A Tremendous Advocate of our America First Agenda, Tom is working tirelessly to Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Champion Small Business, Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Support our Brave Military and Veterans, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment,” the president wrote in a Truth Social post.
Kean, a pivotal figure in a district rated as a toss-up ahead of the 2026 Midterms by the Cook Political Report, is running unopposed in the upcoming Republican primary. Meanwhile, several Democrats are competing for their party’s nomination in the district that could impact the balance of power in Washington.
Kean’s absence is reportedly due to an undisclosed illness. In an interview with the New Jersey Globe, Kean stated he expects to return to Capitol Hill for upcoming votes and anticipates a full recovery. He plans to provide further details about his health in the future.
Amid his disappearance, records show that Kean has traded stocks and appeared to have approved his staff’s travel schedule.
Kean has had a contentious history in district elections. He narrowly lost to Democrat Tom Malinowski in 2020 by about 5,000 votes but later defeated him in 2022 by just under 10,000 votes. In 2024, Kean secured his third term against Democrat Susan Altman with a margin of over 23,000 votes.
Harrison Neely, Kean’s consultant, indicated that Kean is managing an unspecified medical emergency, promising a return to his duties soon and greater transparency going forward. “This was an emergency, you don’t get to plan these,” Neely stated. “There’s no good timing for this.”
The Daily Caller has reportedly sought comment from the White House regarding Trump’s awareness of Kean’s location.
