Trump allies fold RNC into Trump campaign

The newly elected RNC chair, co-chair and chief of staff are all close allies or family members of the former president

(Image credit: Cecile Clocheret / AFP via Getty Images)

published 12 March 2024

What happened

The new leaders of the Republican National Committee fired more than 60 of the RNC's 200 employees on Monday, in what Politico described as a "bloodbath." New RNC chair Michael Whatley, co-chair Lara Trump, and chief of staff Chris LaCivita — all close allies or family members of former President Donald Trump — were elected Friday.

Who said what

"This is Republicans streamlining," LaCivita said to The Associated Press, explaining that eliminating duplicate jobs would help the Trump campaign and RNC become essentially one organization. "MAGA is now in control of the Republican Party!!" Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said on X. "Gutting a committee just before the election seems insane," a former RNC employee said to The Washington Post.

The commentary

The RNC is supposed to help candidates up and down the ballot, and the only real reason to fuse campaign and party is to put the RNC's donations "under the direct control of Trump's family and campaign," TPM's Josh Marshall said. This "bloodbath" will get rid of "the anti-Trump sleeper cells" at the RNC, said Turning Point USA's Charlie Kirk. "What Trump and his cronies are about to do is gonna be epic," former RNC intern Sophia Nelson said on X. "The Republican Party will be in ruins by 2025."

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What next?

Some of the fired RNC staffers were told they could reapply for jobs in the organization, otherwise they must leave by March 31.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.