(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has informed former President Donald Trump of her decision to step down after the South Carolina presidential primary on Feb. 24.
The New York Times reported on Monday that North Carolina Republican Party Chair Michael Whatley, backed by Trump, will seek to replace McDaniel. An election by RNC members is necessary for the immediate filling of her role. Headline USA has reached out to Whatley for comment.
McDaniel’s exit plan coincides with mounting criticism from conservative critics who have been consistently calling for her resignation. Many cite the GOP’s electoral setbacks in 2018, 2020 and 2022 as signs of her perceived failed leadership.
Despite the criticisms, McDaniel dismissed them as online chatter, suggesting that her capacity to win elections is limited to federal elections. However, Trump, currently contending for the Republican presidential nomination, echoed the mounting disapproval of McDaniel.
In a Sunday interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, Trump hinted at forthcoming changes in RNC leadership. “I think she did great when she ran Michigan for me,” Trump said of McDaniel. “I think she did okay initially in the RNC, I would say right now there’ll probably be some changes made.”
Trump sends FAILED RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel into PANIC after dropping major hint about her future on national TV:
“There’ll probably be some changes made.”pic.twitter.com/NNz6AlhuTh
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 5, 2024
In a Monday interview with Newsmax host Rob Schmitt, Trump was more explicit, seemingly dealing a final blow to McDaniel’s tenure.
When questioned about whether McDaniel should step down, Trump bluntly replied: “I think she knows that. I think she understands that. As far as me, as far as I’m concerned—almost 100% of the Republicans I endorse win. In the midterms, out of 253 endorsements, I won 222 races.”
Trump calls for Republican Party Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel to resign after the GOP reported historic fundraising failures pic.twitter.com/TUXeOjQVEr
— DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) February 6, 2024
Assuming the RNC chairmanship in January 2017, McDaniel has been re-elected four times. In January 2023, she secured re-election with Trump’s backing, despite calls for new leadership. At the time, Attorney Harmeet Dhillon and My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell unsuccessfully challenged McDaniel’s re-election.
Republican losses in the Pennsylvania and Virginia elections in November 2023 reignited calls for McDaniel’s resignation. In September 2023, McDaniel came under fire after the Washington Examiner reported that the soon-to-be former RNC chairwoman saw her salary increase from $122,582 in 2017 to a staggering $410,640 in 2020 and $358,431 in 2022.
