Trump has taken issue with Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, over her decision not to cancel primary debates and hold them as scheduled, citing their importance in the early stages of the presidential nomination process.
McDaniel informed the former president that she would resign after this month’s South Carolina primary in response to growing criticism of her performance, sparking speculation about the RNC’s future. McDaniel has not officially announced her resignation.
Trump’s choice of McDaniel as RNC chair in late 2016 was the beginning of their lengthy and rocky relationship. McDaniel led his 2016 campaign in Michigan. Now, he wants her out. As for the future leadership of the Republican National Committee, Trump has proposed his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, and two others.
In light of rumors that McDaniel may resign from her post, former president Donald Trump also floated the idea of nominating Michael Whatley, the current chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and general counsel of the RNC, on Tuesday to head the organization. Based on his leadership in the North Carolina Republican Party, Trump said that Whatley had done a great job in his home state of North Carolina and hinted that he might raise the RNC’s expenditure on legal expenses if he were to become its chairman.
According to the Federal Election Commission reports, the Save America PAC, which Trump runs, has spent about $37 million on legal services since January 2022. This amount is more than 50% of the entire expenditures made during that time.
With $9.96 million in spending money, the Republican National Committee had less than half of the $21.35 million it declared the year Trump won the presidential election—a decrease in bank balances recorded by the GOP governing body in subsequent years. On the other hand, coming into the 2024 election year, the Democratic National Committee claimed to have $20.5 million available.
