Trump makes radical overhaul of RNC at furious pace

Former President Trump transformed the Republican National Committee (RNC) in a matter of days in preparation for the general election campaign.

The same week that Trump officially became a nominee, the RNC instituted a reset, bringing in several new employees to executive positions, firing some staffers, and requiring others to reapply. Significant personnel changes were made.

This sweeping overhaul comes as the RNC faces a significant financial disadvantage compared to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Biden campaign, and Trump and his team face a marathon campaign that requires significant resources. It is carried out while preparing for.

Trump’s allies have moved quickly and aggressively to rebuild the RNC, beginning with last week’s election of new chairman Michael Whatley and co-chairman Lara Trump, both of whom had the support of the former president. .

Chris Lacivita, who has served as a top adviser to the Trump campaign since its inception in November 2022, has moved to the RNC to oversee day-to-day operations.

Sources confirmed to The Hill that former Trump adviser Sean Cairncross will serve as the RNC’s chief operating officer.

In a letter to RNC members obtained by The Hill, Whatley unveiled a series of senior personnel changes, outlined the party’s vision for the 2024 election cycle, and announced plans for the newly unified Trump campaign and He called the party a “unified operation.”

Whatley said there is “one political plan” between the RNC and the Trump campaign. Whatley said former presidential adviser James Blair will serve as political director for both operations.

“Our efforts also include reaching out to voters who are regularly missed, to ensure we increase our share of the vote and ensure no one slips through the cracks,” Whatley said in the letter. Ta. “Importantly, we encourage Republicans to save their votes and expand their vote share to reach more Republican voters than ever before.”

Whatley said the RNC will recalibrate its data operations to “eliminate waste” and respond to individual states. Voter contact programs will shift to take full advantage of Trump’s ability to energize his supporters, he said.

Whatley also announced an increased emphasis on election integrity efforts, a nod to Trump’s obsession with fraud in the 2020 election and numerous failed lawsuits he filed after his defeat. .

Charlie Spieth, a longtime Republican lawyer, will serve as chief adviser. Christina Bobb, the former One America News host who pushed false claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent, will serve as senior adviser on election integrity. Additionally, Bill McGinley, a lawyer who served in the Trump administration, will join the RNC as outside counsel in charge of election integrity.

“The RNC’s new stance on this lawsuit will be an aggressive and aggressive effort to make voting easier and fraud harder,” Whatley wrote.

It is not uncommon for strong candidates to make changes to the party structure and install their preferred leader.

“We need to further assess what the changes are and what the potential impact will be,” said Doug Hay, a former RNC spokesman, adding that Cairncross said, “The professional of the professional… “And it will help tighten things that need tightening,” he added.

But rapid turnover in staff and reported shifts in priorities over how the party will handle down-ballot candidates and funding for programs built under former Speaker Ronna McDaniel Uncertainty is rising. Some former RNC officials have expressed concern about how completely Trump and his team control the party.

Fundraising is a particular concern for the RNC and for Trump personally, who is burning through millions of dollars to pay legal fees. He faces dozens of felony charges in four criminal cases in New York City, Georgia, Washington, D.C., and Florida.

Trump is also facing millions in civil fraud lawsuits involving his business and a defamation lawsuit filed by author E. Jean Carroll, who claims Trump sexually assaulted her decades ago. is facing a dollar judgment.

Lacivita denied speculation that RNC funds would be used to cover Trump’s legal costs, but Lara Trump insisted Republican voters were fine.

The president’s daughter-in-law is expected to play a central role in shaking up Republican fundraising.

“I think the change in leadership at the RNC has really inspired a lot of people to donate. Last weekend, we had our best fundraising weekend since 2020,” Lara Trump said Wednesday. told Newsmax.

“People understand that this is a must-win election and I think they have great confidence in the team we have now, between myself as co-chair and Michael Whatley as chair. ” she continued. “That money is going to start coming back and people are going to hear directly from me…We have to catch up. I believe it will.”

But the RNC is looking to bounce back in what is shaping up to be the longest general election campaign in recent history.

The party reported weak fundraising in 2023, with just over $8 million in cash on hand as of early 2024.

In contrast, the DNC and Biden campaign have built up huge war chests, with $117 million on hand in 2024. The Biden campaign broke its own grassroots fundraising record for the fourth straight month.

“It is clear that donors are not buying what the RNC is selling,” DNC Executive Director Sam Cornerle said in a memo released Wednesday. “Between dire finances, disastrous fundraising, frenzied mass layoffs, and a series of devastating election losses, the RNC has barely been able to survive, let alone build a winning strategy for a general election. I can’t do that.”