Even though he hasn’t officially clinched the 2024 Republican nomination for president, Donald Trump has looked to reshape the structure of the national party to better suit his desires for the general election and beyond. The former president has signaled interest to closely syncing the Republican National Committee with his campaign, building out a team that will indulge in his focus on election fraud, and improve its fundraising prowess – in a time when the committee finds itself in dire financial straits.
The former president publicly endorsed Whatley earlier this month alongside Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, as co-chair of the RNC. Trump also said he planned to install senior adviser Chris LaCivita as chief operating officer. Trump and his team are hoping the new leadership could improve the RNC’s fundraising. New campaign finance reports show the RNC has $8.7 million cash on hand, compared to the Democratic National Committee’s $24 million of available funds.
Two sources close to Trump said that the former president’s interest in Michael Whatley, currently the RNC’s general counsel, stems directly from Whatley’s work and intense focus on claims of election fraud. The North Carolina Republican Party chairman has led his state’s political apparatus for almost five years, and in that time, he has cultivated a reputation as a loyal party figure who has been able to appeal to Trump and establishment Republicans alike.
“Michael has been with me from the beginning, has done a great job in his home state of North Carolina, and is committed to election integrity, which we must have to keep fraud out of our election so it can’t be stolen,” the former president said in a statement endorsing Whatley.
North Carolina Republicans often point to Whatley’s emphasis on building out a…
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