Amid harsh criticism for the financial problems facing the Republican National Committee (RNC), its president, Ronna McDaniel, is allegedly preparing to resign after the primary elections in South Carolina, which will take place on February 24.
Citing two people familiar with her plans, The New York Times reported that McDaniel spoke with former President Donald Trump and told him that she plans to resign this month, once one of the most important stops in the Republican primaries is resolved.
McDaniel is the longest-serving RNC chairwoman in modern history; however, her role in recent months has been highly questioned due to the committee’s severe fundraising problems.
According to the NYT, Trump will most likely promote North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley as McDaniel’s replacement.
However, according to the committee’s own regulations, Whatley must not only win the support of Trump, the most popular Republican candidate, but he must also win in a potential new election where he could face internal party dissent.
Whatley is a prominent Trump ally. His leadership within North Carolina is due, in part, to the support of the former president himself, who views Whatley very favorably because he has been a “loyal” partner.
The news of McDaniel’s potential resignation comes after the RNC chairwoman met with Trump on Monday at his mansion in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
After the meeting, Trump posted on Truth Social that McDaniel was a “friend” but that he would look for changes in the RNC after the South Carolina primary.
“Ronna is now Head of the RNC, and I’ll be making a decision the day after the South Carolina Primary as to my recommendations for RNC Growth,” the former president wrote on his social media platform.
