(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Republican powerhouse Donald Trump is planning on throwing his weight behind North Carolina GOP Chair Michael Whatley for the position of Republican National Committee chair, with Lara Trump as the co-chair, according to multiple reports on Monday.
These new endorsements confirm earlier reports of RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel stepping down from her leadership role after the South Carolina primary on Feb. 24.
Lara Trump, known for her role as a political commentator and surrogate for the Trump campaign, and Whatley, a close Trump ally, are now the frontrunners for the RNC leadership roles.
This strategic move is expected to solidify Trump’s influence as the de facto leader of the party in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
While Trump’s endorsements carry weight, both Lara Trump and Whatley will need to formally run for the positions, subject to the votes of the existing RNC members.
If successful, Lara Trump and Whatley intend to appoint Trump senior advisor Chris LaCivita as the RNC chief operating officer. LaCivita will maintain his leadership role at the Trump campaign.
Trump emphasized the imperative role of the RNC in the upcoming presidential election in statements.
“The RNC MUST be a good partner in the Presidential election. It must do the work we expect from the national Party and do it flawlessly,” Trump declared, according to Axios.
“This group of three is highly talented, battle-tested, and smart. They have my complete and total endorsement to lead the Republican National Committee. Every penny will be used properly. New Day,” he added, as reported by the outlet.
The RNC changes followed McDaniel’s unsuccessful attempts to counter social media criticism stemming from the GOP’s losses in the 2020 presidential election and the 2018 and 2020 midterm elections.
McDaniel has brushed aside the criticism as social media chatter, emphasizing her focus on winning the 2024 presidential election. However, Trump appeared to have a different strategy, initiating criticism after securing his role as the presumed Republican nominee for president.
“Ronna is now Head of the RNC, and I’ll be making a decision the day after the South Carolina Primary as to my recommendations for RNC Growth,” the former president and 2024 GOP frontrunner posted on Truth Social.
