Rep. Trey Gowdy listens as Sen. Marco Rubio speaks in Clinton, Iowa, Dec. 29. | AP Photo Trey Gowdy endorses Marco Rubio

Trey Gowdy has officially endorsed Marco Rubio.

“Marco is a rock solid conservative and a leader we can trust. He is someone we can count on in Washington to stand true to his word,” the South Carolina congressman said in a fundraising email sent by Rubio's campaign on Tuesday. “And I know from experience: that is hard to find in Washington.”


At an event in Iowa on Tuesday, Gowdy joked, "You want to know whether Marco is a fiscal conservative? Do what I did two weeks ago: Do a gift exchange with him over Christmas. The wrapping paper cost more than the tie. It was a 'Rubio for Senate' tie from 2010 that he gave me. So make no mistake, he is a fiscal conservative."

Fellow Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump hasn’t taken lightly to Gowdy's choice. When reports emerged that the influential congressman, who chairs the House committee investigating the 2012 Benghazi attacks, would be backing Rubio, Trump began trashing him on Twitter and in interviews.

"His hearings were a disaster. Everybody was looking forward to something that was going to be really productive. And he didn't win with those hearings. It was a total not-good for Republicans and for the country," Trump said Sunday morning on "Fox & Friends."

And just after Gowdy's official endorsement, Trump tweeted out another hit.

"I hope @TGowdySC does better for Rubio than he did at the #Benghazi hearings, which were a total disaster for Republicans & America!" he said.