Trump Calls for RNC Leadership Change, Pushes for Daughter-in-Law to Be New Chair
The former president, who has hinted about a possible run for the White House in 2024, is demanding the removal of Ronna McDaniel and the appointment of Michael Whatley, the North Carolina GOP chairman, along with his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as the new co-chair.
The move shows Trump's urgency to unite the Republican Party behind him in a likely rematch against President Joe Biden. Trump has long complained that the RNC is not focused enough on preventing voter fraud, which he continues to falsely insist cost him the 2020 election.
The RNC has been struggling with fundraising, especially after Trump tried to bar it from using his name and image to raise money. An integration would also open the door to more skeptical party donors who remain reluctant to give directly to Trump's campaign or super PAC.
None of Trump's leadership wishes will come to fruition without an in-person vote by the Republican National Committee, which is expected to meet later this spring.
Under Trump's preferred arrangement, senior adviser Chris LaCivita would maintain his current role leading Trump's campaign in addition to becoming the RNC's chief operations officer.
Whatley, who serves as general counsel to the RNC, would take over for McDaniel. He has particularly focused on the possibility of voter fraud in recent years, having taken credit for hiring a large contingent of lawyers ahead of the 2020 election. He failed in his bid last year to become the RNC co-chair despite earning Trump's endorsement.
Lara Trump would then presumably take over as the RNC's No. 2. She is married to Trump's middle son, Eric, and has taken an especially active role in all three of her father-in-law's campaigns.
The New York Times first reported Trump was considering installing Lara Trump at the RNC.