Former President Donald Trump on Monday announced recommendations for changes within the Republican National Committee, with leadership from North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley, daughter-in-law Lara Trump, and senior campaign adviser Chris Lacivita. I proposed the position.
President Trump endorsed Whatley to replace RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel last week after the South Carolina primary.
A person familiar with the appointment told Fox News Digital at the time that Trump was pushing Whatley to replace McDaniel because he was “very strong on election fraud” in 2020.
President Trump formally announced Monday that he believes Whatley should be the next leader of the RNC.
“Michael has been with me from the beginning, doing a great job in his home state of North Carolina and being committed to election integrity. We need to eliminate fraud from elections so they can’t be stolen. ” Trump said.
President Trump recommends North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Wheatley to replace McDaniel at RNC: Source
Former President Donald Trump announced his support for a leadership position on the Republican National Committee on February 12, 2024. The former president endorsed Michael Whatley (left) to be the next chairman of the RNC. Lara Trump becomes vice chair. Chris LaCivita will become his RNC chief operating officer. (Associated Press and Getty Images)
Whatley has served as chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party since 2019. Mr. Whatley also serves as general counsel for the Republican National Committee.
Prior to working for the Republican Party, Mr. Whatley served as a federal law clerk, a senior official in the administration of President George W. Bush, and chief of staff to former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, RN.C. Mr. Whatley also served as a senior advisor to the Bush-Cheney campaign, the Florida recount and transition team, and the Trump-Pence campaign and transition team.
President Trump has announced plans to run his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, for co-chair of the RNC, as well as seeking to install Whatley as the committee’s top leader.
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MSNBC refused to broadcast former President Trump’s speech after his landslide victory in the Iowa caucuses. (AP Photo/Charlie Neighborgal)
“Lara is an extremely gifted communicator and is dedicated to everything MAGA stands for,” the former president said. “She told me she wanted to accept this challenge and she would be great!”
The third position Trump wants to influence within the committee is chief operating officer. He would like to see Chris Lacivita play the role.
“Chris will manage the day-to-day operations of the RNC, leveraging every tool available to us to make it a fighting machine and win for the American people as we move into 2024,” Trump said.
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Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump points to a supporter at the end of a campaign rally at the Atkinson Country Club on January 16, 2024 in Atkinson, New Hampshire. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
The 45th president also said the three men are “very talented, seasoned, and intelligent people,” adding that he has his “full and complete support” to lead the RNC.
As President Trump seeks reelection to serve as commander in chief for another four years, he said Monday how important it is for the RNC to be a good partner during the campaign.
“It’s about ensuring fair and transparent elections across the country, securing votes everywhere, even in parts of the country where it’s not easy, and my campaign as the Republican presidential nominee. ‘Let’s make America great again in this election, which means working together to win,’ he shouted.
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Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel is pictured speaking before the Republican presidential primary debate hosted by NBC News in Miami on November 8, 2023. The RNC will convene behind closed doors in Las Vegas this week. They will no longer consider a resolution declaring former President Donald Trump the Republican nominee. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
President Trump met with McDaniel at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida last week, and after the meeting, he told Truth Social that McDaniel is a “friend,” but he wants the RNC to change after the Civil War. I posted that. Carolina presidential primary.
The former president noted that McDaniel served as chairman of the Michigan Republican Party.
“I think she was fine at the RNC initially. I think now there’s probably going to be some changes,” he added.
When McDaniel won re-election last year, he said in an interview with Fox News that it would be his final two-year term leading the party committee.
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If McDaniel were to resign, his successor would need approval from 168 RNC committee members.
McDaniel addressed this speculation in a letter to RNC members last week, noting that he remains committed to his job as RNC chairman to “build the machine that elects Republicans on the November ballot.” reassured.
Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
