Marty O'Donnell, the acclaimed video game composer behind the iconic scores of Halo and Destiny, has secured a significant political endorsement from former U.S. President Donald Trump in his latest bid for Congress. O'Donnell expressed his gratitude on X/Twitter, stating he was "honored" by Trump's support, which came via a social media post describing the ex-Bungie composer as an "America First Patriot."
This marks O'Donnell's second attempt at the same Congressional seat after a failed 2024 run where he placed fourth in the Republican primary. Despite previously criticizing Trump in 2016 and 2017, calling him an "idiot" and expressing loathing, O'Donnell now appears aligned with the former president. "I appreciate the trust that the President has put in me and look forward to working with him in Congress to continue delivering for working families and keeping our nation safe," O'Donnell wrote, confirming his plan to challenge Nevada's 3rd Congressional District Democrat incumbent Susie Lee with Trump's backing.
Trump praised O'Donnell yesterday, declaring, "Marty O'Donnell is a World-Class Composer and Entrepreneur. As your next Congressman, Marty will fight tirelessly to Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, Strengthen our Brave Military/Veterans, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment."
O'Donnell emphasized the high stakes of the upcoming midterm election, noting, "That's why when I started running, I promised I would drop out unless President Trump supported me so that Republicans could avoid wasting resources on a needless primary. Much like President Trump, I didn’t come from the world of politics. I spent my entire career in the business world. I had the honor of working with some incredible people and composing music for some of the greatest video games of all time."
O'Donnell's musical legacy includes collaborating with Michael Salvatori on scores for Bungie games, from 1997's Myth to the classic Halo: Combat Evolved, culminating in his work on 2014's Destiny. That same year, he was fired from Bungie, leading to legal disputes over unpaid wages. In 2021, Bungie sued O'Donnell after he uploaded unreleased Destiny music to YouTube.
In recent years, O'Donnell has shifted focus toward politics after founding his own game development studio, Highwire Games, which released the VR title Golem in 2019 and the controversial shooter Six Days in Fallujah in early access in 2023. Fans of his work can look forward to hearing his Halo themes again with the upcoming launch of Halo: Campaign Evolved, bringing Master Chief's adventures to Xbox, PC, and PlayStation later this year.
