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Donald Trump is facing a backlash after endorsing Michael Whatley as the next chairman of the Republican National Committee.
In a statement, the former president outlined his support for the North Carolina Republican Party chairman who serves as general counsel of the RNC, amid reports the RNC's current leader, Ronna McDaniel, may step down from the position.
"I think my friend Michael Whatley should be the RNC's next leader," Trump, the current frontrunner in the 2024 Republican primary race, adding that he "has been with me from the beginning, has done a great job in his home state of North Carolina."
Newsweek reached out to representatives for Trump and Whatley via email for comment.
Whatley previously worked as an adviser on the Trump-Pence campaign and has backed Trump's false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election. In 2023, Trump endorsed Whatley as co-chairman of the RNC, before he withdrew.
Meanwhile, the endorsement comes after The New York Times last week cited anonymous sources who said McDaniel told the former president she would step down after the South Carolina primary later this month amid mounting criticism about her performance. McDaniel herself has not confirmed that she is stepping down.
"Nothing has changed. This will be decided after South Carolina," RNC spokesperson Keith Schipper told Newsweek.
But after Trump issued his statement, conservatives signaled their disapproval on X, formerly Twitter.
One X user, Denise Harrison, said: "These choices are supposed to inspire conservatives to donate money? I wasn't donating before...I sure in hell won't be donating to the RNC now!"
Another X user, Reno Ciccotta, wrote: "Why Michael Whatley?"
Others expressed concerns about the manner by which Whatley was re-elected to his position last year. In September 2023, a judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by three North Carolina delegates challenging Whatley's re-election as party chairman. Whatley defeated his challenger, John Kane, but those bringing the case claimed the use of a mobile phone application to vote allowed invalid votes to be cast.
Recounting this issue, the host of The Absolute Truth, a show on the social media platform Frank, Emerald Robinson said: "Whatley is a Koch Bros swamp creature. He's anti-MAGA. Bad choice for RNC chair."
An X user responded: "Emerald is right. I am from NC and Whatley is poison."
McDaniel, the niece of Republican Senator Mitt Romney, has served as the RNC chairwoman since 2017, when she was chosen by Trump to lead the party after she served as chair of the Michigan Republican Party.
But in recent months, she has been criticized for funding issues within the GOP governing body, as well as for the Republicans losing multiple elections since 2020, leading to calls for her resignation.
Earlier this month, when asked by Newsmax' Rob Schmitt whether it is "time for Ronna McDaniel to step aside," Trump said: "I think she knows that, I think she understands that."
He also signaled he was distancing himself from McDaniel during an interview this month on Fox News.
"I think [McDaniel] did great when she ran Michigan for me," Trump said. "I think she did okay, initially, in the RNC. I would say right now there'll probably be some changes made."
Aside from Whatley, Trump also said his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, "has agreed to run as the RNC co-chair." Lara Trump, who is married to Trump's son, Eric Trump, was a senior adviser to the Trump campaign in 2020.
"Lara is an extremely talented communicator and is dedicated to all that MAGA stands for," Trump said in his statement. "She has told me she wants to accept this challenge and would be GREAT!"
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About the writer
Kate Plummer is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on U.S. politics and national affairs, and ... Read more