Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel met with former President Donald Trump Monday in Florida and discussed the possibility of resigning, according to remarks from two insiders.
But not so fast, says McDaniel.
Trump has described McDaniel’s departure as likely, and he’s reportedly backing North Carolina GOP Chair Mike Whatley to fill the role.
“I would say right now, there’ll probably be some changes made,” Trump said on Sunday Morning Futures.
But McDaniel denied the rumors of an imminent resignation.
In a Wednesday memo to RNC members, she delayed all announcements until Feb. 24, the date of South Carolina’s GOP primary for president.
“With a news cycle full of palace intrigue and speculation surrounding all of us, I want to take the time to reassure all of you that I am still hard at work as RNC Chairwoman and building a machine that will elect Republicans up and down the ballot in November,” McDaniel said in an internal message obtained by NBC News.
McDaniel added that the RNC is currently prioritizing fundraising over organizational changes.
“Myself and my staff are refusing to be distracted by the outside noise and we remain committed to our mission — rumors to the contrary are simply not true,” McDaniel wrote. “Nothing has changed and there will not be any changes decided on until after South Carolina, when we may have our eventual nominee.”
McDaniel has faced criticism for presiding over disappointing elections in 2018, 2020, and 2022. Lately, she’s also faced questions about her fundraising abilities. The RNC reportedly ended last year with only $8 million, compared to $21 million for the Democratic National Committee.
However, McDaniel won re-election last year. At the end of her current, third term, she would become the R.N.C.’s longest-serving chair since Abraham Lincoln’s era.
Trump can endorse someone in the committee’s election, but he can’t appoint a new chair.
Additionally, Trump has seen little success with his past endorsements in the RNC’s internal elections. Last year, Trump endorsed Whatley for co-chair, only for Whatley to withdraw. Trump endorsed another candidate for R.N.C. treasurer, only for him to lose.
The former president appears to maintain a cordial relationship with McDaniel, whom he once endorsed. In a Truth Social post this week, he addressed the RNC’s organizational changes more delicately than usual.
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The Horn editorial team