Mitt Romney's niece criticizes his op-ed

The next Romney family reunion may prove to be an awkward affair.

Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel, who is Senator-elect Mitt Romney's niece, on Wednesday spoke out against her uncle's op-ed about President Trump. Romney had criticized Trump's character and said that he has "not risen to the mantle of the office."

"For an incoming Republican freshman senator to attack @realdonaldtrump as their first act feeds into what the Democrats and media want and is disappointing and unproductive," McDaniel wrote without using Romney's name or noting their relationship.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

McDaniel, who has led the RNC since 2017, has in recent years stopped using the name Romney; CNN's Andrew Kaczynski points out that her name was listed on social media as Ronna Romney McDaniel until shortly before she became RNC chair. Trump himself had personally requested she drop the name, The Washington Post reports.