In a significant development, the Republican National Committee (RNC) members have received a detailed three-page memo from Chairman Michael Whatley. The memo outlines the RNC’s merger with the Trump campaign, a move that comes in the wake of former President Donald Trump securing the GOP nomination.
The memo was dispatched shortly after Trump’s handpicked team assumed control, marking a new era of unity within the party. “The RNC is merging operations with the Trump campaign in accordance with tradition and applicable law. We are now a united operation, and a united front,” Whatley penned in the memo.
Whatley, along with Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, were elected unopposed to succeed the outgoing chair and co-chair on March 8. The memo underscores the committee’s key priorities, with a particular emphasis on allegations of election fraud.
“Our election integrity priorities this cycle will include a broader effort over the coming months to challenge voter identification and signature verification rules which were put into place for the 2020 election. The RNC’s new posture as it relates to this litigation will be an aggressive, proactive effort to ensure that it will be easy to vote and hard to cheat,” Whatley stated.
Whatley’s commitment to investigating claims of election fraud was a significant factor in Trump’s decision to support him, as per previous reports by CNN. The memo also reveals the new hires made by Whatley, including a team of lawyers who will focus on election fraud claims.
The announcement comes on the heels of the RNC laying off several staff members, including top officials in communications, the political department, and the data team. These cuts, which exceeded the usual scale, highlight the committee’s fundraising challenges.
Despite these setbacks, Whatley’s memo assures that the RNC will maintain its community centers and the Bank Your Vote program. The RNC aims to focus on organizing in communities that are not traditionally Republican, to expose the shortcomings of the Biden administration’s policies.
“Contrary to some reports, we are not closing community centers. We are aggressively pursuing programs to grow our base and maximize opportunities to engage with Americans, utilizing all existing tools for our voters to cast ballots,” Whatley clarified.
Whatley also confirmed that the RNC has finalized a joint fundraising agreement with the Trump campaign and has appointed a data liaison to collaborate with other Republican committees and state parties.
“Lara Trump, our great RNC Co-Chair, and I are fully aware of the challenges ahead. We must work tirelessly every day. Within the organization, we need to ensure that every penny of every dollar is spent towards one goal: winning. Winning House seats, winning Senate seats, and winning the Presidency,” Whatley concluded.
Contributions to this report were made by CNN’s Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Kristen Holmes, and Marshall Cohen.