Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel is planning to resign, party sources told The Washington Times.
Ms. McDaniel is likely to receive a soft landing within the party, possibly with a post in the Trump campaign or another job in the conservative ecosphere, people inside the RNC were saying on Tuesday.
However the pieces are moved on the Republican Party board, Ms. McDaniel will clear the way for new leadership at the RNC amid poor fundraising and growing dissatisfaction with her leadership.
She is looking to support North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump for co-chair last year. Mr. Whatley was defeated in that contest by Drew McCissick, South Carolina Republican Party chairman.
Since her reelection battle for RNC chair in 2023, Ms. McDaniel has faced criticism from conservative factions allied with Mr. Trump and calls for her removal from her the post.
Mr. Trump said on Tuesday that he had changes in mind for RNC and planned to reveal them after the South Carolina primary later this month, but events quickly gain momentum.
“Ronna [McDaniel] 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,” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social. The South Carolina primary is slated for Feb. 24.
The RNC has been struggling with fundraising and conservative activists’ calls to oust Ms. McDaniel, who has been party chair since Mr. Trump hand-picked her for the job in 2017.
Mr. Trump also called Ms. McDaniel a friend and recalled his election win in Michigan in 2016 when she was chair of the Michigan Republican Party.
The post came after the two met at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The committee’s chief of staff, Mike Reed, announced he was stepping down Tuesday in a staff email first reported by Politico.
In the email, Mr. Reed acknowledged talk from Mr. Trump about switching up the Republican Party’s leadership team.
“I know the timing of this news comes as many rumors in the press swirl and we prepare to merge with the presumptive nominee,” he wrote. “I assure you, the RNC is in an incredibly strong position.”
He also said the party knew “there would be some changes” once there was a presidential nominee.
“Chairman McDaniel has had great conversations with President Trump over the last few days and weeks,” he said. “She will continue to lead this organization to merge seamlessly should he be the nominee.”
Ms. McDaniel has weathered criticism for months about her performance, including the string of Republican election losses on her watch.
One of her loudest critics is conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the leader of Turning Point USA, who tried to get her ousted last year. He has called the RNC staff “a pack of losers.”
“They don’t even know what winning is,” he said on his radio show last week.
At issue is the party’s finances this election cycle. Campaign finance disclosures released this month showed the RNC had $8 million in the bank and $1 million in debt, which is less than half of what the Democratic National Committee had in December.
In a recent Fox News interview, Mr. Trump also forecast changes ahead for the RNC.
“I think she did great when she ran Michigan for me. I think she did OK, initially, in the RNC,” he said. “I would say right now, there’ll probably be some changes made.”