FORTUNE
Donald Trump endorsed his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to help lead the Republican National Committee, a move that would tighten his hold on the party even as the 2024 nominating contest continues.
Trump, in an announcement by his campaign on Monday night, proposed that Lara Trump, a former television producer who is married to his son, Eric, become co-chair along with Michael Whatley, the RNC’s general counsel. The current chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, has been in discussions to step down, according to people familiar with the plans.
“My very talented daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, has agreed to run as the RNC Co-Chair. Lara is an extremely talented communicator and is dedicated to all that MAGA stands for,” Trump said in the statement.
He described Whatley as someone “who 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.”
Whatley has supported Trump’s false claims that he won the 2020 presidential election.
Trump added that he had also asked Chris LaCivita, to “in effect” assume the role of RNC chief operating officer, managing the committee’s “day-to-day operations so it will become a fighting machine for 2024.”
Endorsing his daughter-in-law for RNC chair after applying public pressure on McDaniel to step down would all but complete Trump’s control the Republican campaign apparatus. Both Lara Trump and Whatley are North Carolina natives. Democrats…
