Brian Jeffrey Mast Bio
Brian Jeffrey Mast (born July 10, 1980) is an American politician and U.S. military veteran who has served as the U.S. Representative for Florida’s 21st congressional district since 2017. The district, numbered as the 18th before the 2020 redistricting cycle, includes the Treasure Coast and northern portions of Palm Beach County. A Republican, Mast is in his fifth House term and has built his congressional work around veterans’ affairs, national security, and foreign policy.
A veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, Mast lost both of his legs while serving as a U.S. Army explosive ordnance disposal technician in Afghanistan in 2010. He received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service, and his experiences in uniform have shaped his legislative priorities in Washington.
Early Life and Background
Brian Jeffrey Mast was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the son of James Mast and Tixomena Trujillo. His maternal grandparents were immigrants from Mexico, a heritage that has informed his later public comments on immigration and assimilation. After graduating from South Christian High School in 1999, he chose a military path over a traditional college route, enlisting in the United States Army Reserve in May 2000.
Mast was assigned to the 841st Combat Engineer Battalion as a combat engineer before transitioning to the active-duty Army in 2006 to become an explosive ordnance disposal technician. Years later, in 2016, he completed a Bachelor of Liberal Arts from the Extension School of Harvard University, concentrating in economics with minors in government and environmental studies.
Path to US Politics
Mast’s move toward public office began while he was recovering from his battlefield injuries at Walter Reed Medical Center. In May 2015, it was reported that he was considering a run for Congress, and on June 8, 2015, he officially announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination in Florida’s 18th congressional district.
Drawing on his military profile and reputation as a wounded veteran, he defeated five opponents in the August 30, 2016, Republican primary with 38 percent of the vote. He went on to defeat Democratic businessman Randy Perkins in the November 8 general election, capturing 53 percent of the vote and beginning his career in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Brian Jeffrey Mast Career
Early Career (2000-2010)
Brian Jeffrey Mast enlisted in the United States Army Reserve in May 2000 and was assigned to the 841st Combat Engineer Battalion as a combat engineer. In 2006, he transitioned to the active U.S. Army and trained as an explosive ordnance disposal technician, eventually joining the 28th Ordnance Company, a special operations unit that works alongside the 75th Ranger Regiment.
During his twelve years of U.S. Army service, Mast built the technical skills and leadership experience that would later define his public image. President Barack Obama later invited him as a guest to the 2011 State of the Union Address, where he was seated with First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Jill Biden, a public recognition of his service and sacrifice.
Breakthrough (2010-2016)
On September 19, 2010, while clearing a path for United States Army Rangers in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Mast stepped on an improvised explosive device. The blast resulted in the amputation of both of his legs and the loss of his left index finger. For his actions, he received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, and his family was later awarded a custom ADA-compliant home by the nonprofit organization Helping a Hero.
After his honorable discharge from the Army, Mast was hired as an explosives specialist for the United States Department of Homeland Security. While recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, he provided explosive and counter-terrorism expertise to the Office of Emergency Operations at the National Nuclear Security Administration from July 2011 to February 2012, and he served as an instructor of homemade explosives for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. In January 2015, he volunteered alongside the Israeli Defense Forces through the Sar-El program, working at a base outside Tel Aviv packing medical kits and moving supplies.
Encouraged by his recovery and a desire to serve again, Mast began considering a run for Congress in 2015. He launched his campaign for Florida’s 18th congressional district, won the Republican primary, and in November 2016 secured the seat with 53 percent of the vote, launching his political career.
Republican Era (2017-Present)
Since being sworn in on January 3, 2017, Mast has served continuously in the U.S. House of Representatives. He has been a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership and the Climate Solutions Caucus, and he sits on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. In 2018, he became the first member of Congress to open an office inside a federal agency, opening a constituent-services office inside the West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs facility, though the Department of Veterans Affairs evicted him from that office in 2019.
During Donald Trump’s presidency, Mast voted in line with the president’s stated position 90.6 percent of the time. He has focused on foreign-policy work as well, serving as a vocal supporter of Israel. Following the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, Mast wore his IDF uniform in Congress, and in February 2026, as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, he led a full committee hearing titled Syria at a Crossroads: U.S. Policy Challenges Post-Assad, focusing on security and political challenges in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime.
In the 2020 redistricting cycle, Florida’s 18th district was renamed the 21st district. Mast has continued to win comfortably, defeating Democrat Corinna Robinson with 63.5 percent of the vote in 2022 and Democrat Thomas Witkop with 61.8 percent of the vote in 2024, and he is currently in his fifth House term.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Brian Jeffrey Mast’s career came on September 19, 2010, in Kandahar, when he was severely wounded while clearing a path for fellow soldiers, an event that earned him the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Another milestone came in 2017, when he won his first House seat with 53 percent of the vote, and again in 2020, when he was renominated with 78.1 percent of the vote in the Republican primary, a reflection of his strong standing with voters in his district.
Brian Jeffrey Mast Career Wins
Brian Jeffrey Mast has built a record of consistent electoral success since entering Congress in 2017, with his winning margin growing in successive cycles. He has prevailed in four general elections in Florida’s Treasure Coast and northern Palm Beach County region, while also working to advance his legislative priorities in the House.
U.S. House of Representatives Highlights
Mast first won the general election in 2016 with 53 percent of the vote against Democrat Randy Perkins. In 2018, he defeated Democratic nominee Lauren Baer, an attorney and former Obama administration official, with 54 percent of the vote. In 2020, after his district was renumbered from the 18th to the 21st, he won re-election with 56.32 percent of the vote against Democrat Pam Keith.
In 2022, Mast won renomination in the Republican primary with 78.1 percent of the vote and defeated Democrat Corinna Robinson with 63.5 percent of the vote in the general election. In 2024, he won his most recent general election against Democrat Thomas Witkop with 61.8 percent of the vote.
Other Wins & Achievements
Beyond electoral victories, Mast has earned recognition for his military service and his post-service advocacy, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and Army Commendation Medal with valor device. In 2018, he was named to replace the late Representative Don Young as a co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, and he later rose to chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Brian Jeffrey Mast Family
Family Background and Heritage
Brian Jeffrey Mast is the son of James Mast and Tixomena Trujillo. He was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where his maternal grandparents settled after immigrating from Mexico, a heritage that has shaped his views on immigration and assimilation.
Personal Life
Brian Jeffrey Mast lives in Palm City, Florida, with his wife Brianna and their four children. As recently as 2016, he attended the evangelical Calvary Chapel, a reflection of the religious faith that has remained part of his public identity.