Donald Trump's Shakeup of the GOP Could Backfire Spectacularly

Potential changes to the Republican National Committee (RNC) spearheaded by GOP frontrunner Donald Trump could backfire, an academic has told Newsweek.

Significant personnel changes at the GOP governing body are afoot. On Monday, its embattled chair Ronna McDaniel announced she was to resign, following weeks of criticism and speculation that her tenure was coming to an end. The niece of Republican Senator Mitt Romney, who was chosen by Trump to lead the RNC chairwoman in 2017, had been blamed for funding issues within the GOP governing body. McDaniel was also criticized for the Republicans losing multiple elections since 2020.

Earlier this month, Trump joined the chorus of voices calling for McDaniel's head. The former president endorsed Michael Whatley, the North Carolina Republican Party chair who serves as general counsel of the RNC, as the committee's next chairman, and his daughter-in-law Lara Trump as co-chair. Newsweek contacted the RNC and representatives for Donald Trump by email to comment on this story.

However, McDaniel had experience and networking skills, meaning losing her could cause further problems for the RNC, Christopher Phelps told Newsweek. He is a professor of modern American history at the University of Nottingham in the U.K.

"The RNC's fundraising is at a very low ebb, and Donald Trump has cast blame on the outgoing RNC chair, Ronna McDaniel, so out she goes," Phelps said. "But McDaniel was well-experienced, having served since 2017, and accordingly very well-networked among Republican big-money sources.

"We'll soon see if Trump's characteristically nepotistic move of appointing his daughter-in-law to replace her and co-chair the RNC along with a promulgator of false election-fraud allegations, Michael Whatley, will change anything," Phelps added.

"It will put to the test whether the problem was McDaniel or, actually, what she was selling," Phelps said. "Is the Republican donor class actually willing to pay Trump's lawyers and court fees, or is that the very problem? Would they prefer to be funding an RNC that is actually focused on winning campaigns? If Trump himself is the problem, naming a Trump to the task is not likely to turn things around."

McDaniel's resignation is expected to take effect March 8, three days after Super Tuesday.

"It has been the honor and privilege of my life to serve the Republican National Committee for seven years as Chairwoman to elect Republicans and grow our Party," McDaniel said in a statement.

"The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition," McDaniel added. "I remain committed to winning back the White House and electing Republicans up and down the ballot in November."

McDaniel continued: "Some of my proudest accomplishments include firing Nancy Pelosi, winning the popular vote in 2022, creating an Election Integrity Department, building the committee's first small dollar grassroots donor program, strengthening our state parties through our Growing Republican Organizations to Win program, expanding the Party through minority outreach at our community centers, and launching Bank Your Vote to get Republicans to commit to voting early."

Meanwhile, Lara Trump told Newsmax earlier this month that she will spend "every single penny" on her father-in-law if she is elected co-chair of the RNC.