A prominent member of the Republican National Committee (RNC) is proposing two resolutions aimed at creating some distance between the national party and former President Donald Trump, albeit temporarily.
Henry Barbour, a seasoned member from Mississippi, has introduced the first resolution, which seeks to restrict the national party from engaging in coordination or fundraising activities with Trump’s campaign until he secures enough delegates to become the party’s presumptive nominee.
The draft resolution emphasizes neutrality within the RNC throughout the presidential primary process, refraining from additional staff hiring from any active presidential campaigns until a clear nominee emerges with 1,215 delegates.
While Trump has emerged victorious in all of the Republican primaries and caucuses thus far, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley has signaled her intent to remain in the race for some time.
Trump has already proposed Chris LaCivita, his current campaign co-manager, to assume the role of chief operating officer within the RNC. However, Barbour’s proposed resolution, if adopted by the RNC’s 168-member body, would slow down Trump’s team’s integration into the RNC’s operations.
Trump (Credits: The Daily Beast)
In contrast to the Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Trump campaign and the RNC have not established a joint fundraising committee, which would facilitate better coordination and mutual financial interests.
Reacting to Barbour’s proposal, the Trump campaign expressed dissatisfaction, asserting that the primary phase is over, and the RNC’s primary duty is to defeat Joe Biden and secure the White House. They argue that any delay in this effort aids Biden’s agenda.
Another RNC member had previously suggested a resolution to declare Trump the party’s presumptive nominee, but it was withdrawn after controversy, including Trump’s own social media commentary opposing its adoption.
Barbour is also advancing a second resolution that would prevent the RNC from covering Trump’s legal expenses. This resolution underscores the RNC’s commitment to allocate funds exclusively towards endeavors directly linked to the 2024 election cycle.
LaCivita affirmed before a Trump campaign rally that the RNC would not finance Trump’s legal costs following the merger of campaign and RNC efforts.
Barbour underscored the importance of these resolutions in ensuring a substantive discussion about safeguarding the primary process while multiple candidates remain in contention and preventing the RNC from financing the legal expenses of political candidates unrelated to the election cycle.
The RNC members are set to convene in Houston on March 7 and 8, where they could potentially vote on these resolutions.
The status of Ronna McDaniel’s resignation as chairwoman remains uncertain. Although Trump has advocated for her replacement by Michael Whatley, it ultimately falls to McDaniel to resign or for RNC members to remove her.
There’s also speculation surrounding potential changes in party leadership in Houston. However, Trump allies seeking control of the RNC may encounter hurdles, including a potential challenge by current RNC co-chair Drew McKissick for the party’s top position.
McKissick, when questioned about a potential bid for the chairmanship, refrained from ruling it out explicitly, emphasizing the significant influence of the Republican Party’s presidential nominee in such matters.
Acknowledging Trump’s pivotal role in determining RNC leadership, McKissick emphasized the importance of assembling a winning team, particularly after the emergence of a presumptive nominee.
