In the current political landscape, former President Donald Trump’s efforts to restructure the Republican National Committee (RNC) have been met with resistance from within the party ranks. Two resolutions are making the rounds among RNC members that, if passed, would potentially delay these changes and maintain neutrality until a clear nominee emerges.
The first resolution under consideration stipulates that the RNC and its leadership should abstain from hiring additional staff from any presidential campaigns until a nominee has unequivocally secured 1,215 delegates. This number represents the threshold required to clinch the Republican nomination.
Donald Trump’s campaign has been gaining momentum in the early-voting contests this year, placing him on track to secure the necessary delegates by March 19 at the latest, according to his campaign officials’ recent projections. With this in mind, Trump announced plans to appoint Chris LaCivita as Chief Operating Officer of the RNC and publicly endorsed Michael Whatley for RNC Chairman. Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, also secured a co-chair position alongside Whatley.
The RNC Chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, has indicated that she will step down following the South Carolina Republican primary on March 12th. Nikki Haley, Trump’s last major GOP rival, stated that she would not want a family member or someone closely linked to a candidate assuming the role of RNC Chair. Instead, Haley suggested that the new chair should not be involved in any financial dealings related to Trump’s presidential campaign.
The Trump campaign reportedly spent over $50 million from contributors on legal fees last year between two of his political action committees. This substantial expense has fueled concerns among RNC members about potential conflicts of interest and the allocation of resources within the party.
The second resolution proposes that the RNC should not cover any legal expenses unrelated to the 2024 presidential election for either Donald Trump or Nikki Haley.
Henry Barbour, a Republican National Committeeman from Mississippi, is sponsoring both resolutions and expressed his belief that Trump’s campaign had prematurely attempted to seize control of the RNC before securing the necessary delegates. In an interview with CNN on March 11, Barbour shared his concerns and emphasized the importance of adhering to established rules within the party.
