Trump Endorses NC GOP Chair for RNC Leadership

• Trump endorses Whatley for RNC chairman, shaking up GOP.
• Lara Trump endorsed as co-chair of the Republican Committee.
• LaCivita appointed RNC COO in Trump’s strategic reshuffle.

Former United States president Donald Trump announced his endorsements for the leadership of the Republican National Committee (RNC). The endorsements include Michael Whatley, the chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, for the position of RNC chairman, and Lara Trump, Trump’s daughter-in-law, as co-chair. The announcement is expected to bring about a notable shift in the current leadership of the GOP.

In addition to endorsing Whatley and Lara Trump, Trump revealed that Chris LaCivita, a senior advisor from his campaign, would be taking on the role of Chief Operating Officer at the RNC. Trump expressed confidence in this trio, describing them as “highly talented, battle-tested, and smart” in a statement issued on Monday night.

The decision to endorse new leadership comes in the wake of Ronna McDaniel’s tenure as RNC chair. Despite winning a fourth term in January, McDaniel has been replaced due to concerns over low fundraising numbers and underperformance in recent national elections. The RNC faced its worst fundraising year in a decade in 2023, entering 2024 with only $8 million in its coffers, the lowest cash on hand since 2014, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports.

During a meeting last week at Mar-a-Lago, McDaniel assured Trump of her commitment to the party’s best interests and expressed her willingness to step down as chair, emphasizing her role as a “team player.” Trump has stated that he will make a decision regarding the future leadership of the RNC after the South Carolina primary on February 24.

Michael Whatley, currently serving as the general counsel at the RNC, has been a vocal supporter of Trump and echoed the former president’s unproven claims of fraud following the 2020 election, asserting that “we do know there was massive fraud.”

Lara Trump, married to Trump’s second son Eric, played a prominent role on Trump’s campaign trail and was previously considered as a potential North Carolina Senate candidate for the 2022 midterm cycle.

Chris LaCivita, a seasoned Republican strategist, has a history of working on various campaigns, including Rand Paul’s 2016 presidential run and the pro-Trump super PAC Make America Great Again Inc., before joining Trump’s re-election campaign in 2022. The new leadership lineup reflects Trump’s strategic efforts to reshape the direction of the Republican Party.