West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice Thursday praised President Donald Trump for doing a "wonderful job," including with his work on a tax overhaul whose effects are being felt nationwide.
"If you could see West Virginia today and see all the trees starting to bud out and the sun coming up over the mountains, you decide what other state could you possibly be in," Justice told Fox News' "Fox and Friends" while discussing the president's trip Thursday to the Mountain State for a roundtable in White Sulphur Springs to discuss the tax cuts bill.
"The president and I are great friends," said Justice, who switched parties from Democrat to Republican following his election as governor. "He is doing a wonderful job. I support him in any shape, form or fashion."
"The tax cuts are taking hold in West Virginia," Justice added, noting his states growth rate is now at five percent.
"We're doing really good things," he continued. "This is a paradise to raise your families. We're looking for a lot of people, good men and women to move and come back to West Virginia because we have great jobs, great-paying jobs. Like I said, you would be raising your family in paradise, in my opinion."
However, Trump will have to work against Sen. Joe Manchin, a popular Democratic moderate, if he wants to get the 60 votes he needs to pass legislation, and Justice said he has had talks with the senator about also switching parties.
"I wish Joe was a Republican," Justice said. "Joe has to do his thing, I have surely got to do mine and the president has got to do his. We need Joe's vote. To be perfectly honest, you know, this nation needs to get behind our president in a great way every day."
He also said in his state, where schools shut down for over a week during a teacher walkout that made national headlines, a commitment was made to invest in education.
"I would encourage governors and everybody across this nation, be fiscally responsible when you have monies, when you have real monies within your state, I think we ought to really reinvest in our kids and back into education," said Justice.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.