In a bold move to solidify his control over the party’s operations, former President Donald Trump has begun overhauling the Republican National Committee (RNC). After all but clinching the party’s nomination last week, Trump’s newly installed leadership team wasted no time pushing out dozens of officials.
According to sources close to the Trump campaign and the RNC, over 60 staffers from various departments, including political, communications, and data, will be forced to resign under the new leadership.
This shake-up also includes five senior staff members. Additionally, several vendor contracts are expected to be cut as part of the RNC’s effort to streamline and eliminate bureaucratic red tape.
RedState said on its website:
According to two additional sources, RNC Political Director Elliott Echols; Mike Mears, the chief of staff to former co-chair Drew McKissick; and Tripp Looser are three of the senior staffers asked to resign.
In addition, the Washington Post is reporting that Trump adviser Chris LaCivita, who is also the new chief of staff at the RNC, “had complained about the staff of the RNC for several months…and long planned to make changes” and that he “had studied the organization’s payroll and employees for several weeks.”
In a letter to some political and data staff, the RNC’s new chief operating officer, Sean Cairncross, stated that the changes were necessary to align the organization with the vision of the new leadership team. He also explained that this process involved asking certain staff members to resign and reapply for their positions on the team.
This restructuring has sparked speculation about the motivation behind it. Still, sources close to Trump’s campaign have stated that the move is intended to cut unnecessary bureaucracy and increase efficiency within the party’s operations. However, it’s hard to ignore the fact that this also signals the swift and decisive takeover of the Republican Party by the former president.
Last week, the RNC held its election for a new chairperson, and Trump’s endorsed candidate, former North Carolina GOP Chair Michael Whatley, was elected. Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, was also elected as co-chair. This leadership team, along with newly appointed chief of staff Chris LaCivita, will work hand in hand with the former president’s campaign to merge their operations with the RNC.
Trump’s dissatisfaction with the previous RNC chair, Ronna McDaniel, has been evident in recent months. Sources say he felt she was not doing enough to address concerns about voter integrity, and he was also unhappy with her hosting of Republican primary debates that he refused to participate in. With the former president’s influence and backing, the new leadership team is determined to turn things around and lead the RNC to a stronger financial position.
Critics may say that this overhaul is an attempt by Trump to take complete control of the Republican Party. However, this is necessary for conservative news outlets to create a more efficient and effective organization that can support the former president’s agenda and ultimately secure Republican victories in future elections.
🚨BREAKING: A major shakeup is happening as we speak at the RNC with Donald Trump’s new leadership team cutting dozens of positions following Lara Trump’s ascension to co-chair of the RNC.
Good! pic.twitter.com/XIsnwbHrLE
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 11, 2024
