Former President Donald Trump on Feb. 12 endorsed North Carolina GOP Chair Michael Whatley to succeed RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel. He also announced his support for his daughter-in-law Lara Trump to take up the role of RNC co-chairwoman.
In a news release, President Trump stressed the need for the RNC to play a crucial role in ensuring fair and transparent elections across the nation and to work seamlessly with his campaign in the upcoming general election.
“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. That means helping to ensure fair and transparent elections across the country, getting out the vote everywhere—even in parts of the country where it won’t be easy—and working with my campaign, as the Republican presumptive nominee for President, to win this election and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” President Trump said in a statement.
Following reports that Ms. McDaniel is stepping down, President Trump endorsed Michael Whatley as her replacement, citing Mr. Whatley’s loyalty and commitment to election integrity.
“Michael has been with me from the beginning, has done a great job in his home state of North Carolina, and is committed to election integrity, which we must have to keep fraud out of our election so it can’t be stolen,” the GOP presidential front-runner said.
News that Ms. McDaniel may be stepping down gained headlines this month after a New York Times report followed President Trump calling for “some changes” at the RNC during a Feb. 4 interview.
RNC spokesman Keith Schipper reiterated Ms. McDaniel’s previous remarks in a statement to The Epoch Times, saying that “nothing has changed” and no decision or announcement will come before the South Carolina GOP presidential primary.
“Chairwoman McDaniel has been on the road helping elect Republicans up and down the ballot, and she will continue working hard to beat Biden this fall,” Mr. Schipper said on Tuesday.
In an RNC email previously disclosed, Ms. McDaniel did not confirm nor deny the rumors that she would be stepping down. This email was disclosed by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and authenticated to The Epoch Times by a person familiar with the matter.
Ms. McDaniel has been the head of the RNC since 2017. Recently, she has been facing increasing pressure due to the party’s poor fundraising performance.
Lara Trump, whom the former president touted as “an extremely talented communicator” who is dedicated to the MAGA movement, has agreed to run as the RNC co-chair, according to the news release.
Just before the Trump campaign made its announcement, Lara Trump and her husband, Eric, remained mum on her possible new role during a campaign stop in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Appearing before 1,000 cheering fans at Club 47 USA, Lara Trump sang part of her hit recording, a cover of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.” She told the crowd at the Palm Beach Airport Hilton Hotel that the song represent’s the Trump family’s pledge to the American people.
“We’re in this forever,” she said, “because we’ve got a country to save, ladies and gentlemen. We’re going to work our hardest for the next 9 and ½ months and we won’t back down. We’re gonna save the United States of America.”
Her husband, Eric, said, “No matter what, this family will never ever ever stop fighting.” He also promised that his father “will never ever let you down.”
Rounding off his recommendations, the former president named Chris LaCivita as his pick for what would effectively be a chief operating officer for the committee.
He expressed full confidence in Mr. LaCivita’s ability to manage the day-to-day operations of the RNC and transform it into a formidable “ fighting machine” for the 2024 elections.
“This group of three is highly talented, battle-tested, and smart. They have my complete and total endorsement to lead the Republican National Committee,” President Trump said.
President Trump assured that every penny donated would be utilized appropriately, concluding his statement with the tagline, “New Day.”
The RNC disclosed last month that it had its worst fundraising year in the last ten years. As a result, the party’s cash on hand is at its lowest since 2014. The RNC started 2024 with $8 million in the bank and $1.8 million in debt, according to its disclosures with the Federal Election Commission.
President Trump is on track for a potential third nomination as the Republican Party’s presidential candidate, winning the New Hampshire primary and Iowa caucus even as he faces legal challenges.
In the Nevada GOP primary, a non-binding vote on Feb. 5 that assigned no delegates to the RNC’s summer convention saw former South Carolina governor and President Trump’s last remaining GOP primary challenger Nikki Haley lose to “none of these candidates,” while President Trump, who was not on the ballot, chose to participate in the delegate-awarding Nevada Caucus.
