- Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara addressed supporters in South Carolina
- She said voters are “outraged” by Trump’s “persecution” and would support the Republican National Committee in paying his massive legal bills.
Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law said she thinks voters would support the Republican National Committee (RNC) paying the former president’s mounting legal costs.
Lara Trump — married to Eric Trump — told supporters at a campaign event in South Carolina on Wednesday that she thought the idea would have broad support among Republican voters who see his lawsuits as “an attack.”
She added that she was not familiar with the RNC’s rules on paying Donald Trump’s legal fees, which now total more than half a billion dollars, as well as the millions he has spent on lawyers.
But she said: ‘That’s why people are furious now. And they see the attacks on him. They feel like it’s not just an attack on Donald Trump, but on this country. So yeah, I think this is definitely a big interest for people.”
But a spokesperson for former President Trump later told ABC News that “absolutely none” of the RNC money would be spent on his legal bills.
Last week, Trump called for the removal of the current RNC leaders and suggested that Lara Trump take their place as co-chair, alongside Michael Whatley, the current chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party.
At a campaign event ahead of the South Carolina primary, Lara Trump said she believed Republican voters would support the use of RNC funds for Donald Trump’s legal bills.
She said she would “fight fire with dynamite” if she became co-chair of the RNC
The RNC is the primary committee of the Republican Party and is responsible for maintaining and developing the Republican brand, as well as fundraising and election strategy.
It is funded by donations from the public, with the money earmarked for the presidential race once a Republican candidate is selected.
But Lara said Wednesday that “every cent” of the RNC’s funds should go toward Trump’s reelection and “to ensure that we have great candidates to expand our lead in the House of Representatives and win back the Senate .’
Lara on Wednesday supported his call for her to take on the role of co-chair of the RNC, telling reporters that Republican voters will feel more confident in the RNC if a Trump family member is installed in the leadership.
She said: “Having someone like me there, I think, will be a big step forward for the people. I can assure you that I am loyal to my father-in-law and will ensure that every cent is well spent.
“It should be fighting for the issues we care about on November 5.”
Trump suggested his daughter-in-law take on the role of the RNC after becoming frustrated with the current chair, Ronna McDaniel.
Although McDaniel himself was once handpicked by Donald Trump to lead the party’s political machine, the former president grew tired of her as some of his allies complained about the party’s losses in the recent elections.
Trump’s team later walked back its comments, saying “absolutely none” of the RNC funds would be spent on his legal bills
Lara Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, March 3, 2023
Critics also pointed to the party’s finances and the perception that it was not doing enough to focus on voter fraud, which Trump blames for his 2020 election loss.
Lara Trump said if she were to become co-chair of the RNC, she would be loyal to her father-in-law, but she believed the organization would stick to its policy of remaining neutral in primaries.
She said, “I don’t know why we would change course there now.”
But she drew a different line at the presidential primaries, where former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley is still running against Trump.
“The RNC will support whoever is the Republican nominee for president,” Lara Trump said. “I think we all know this is going to be Donald Trump.”
Trump may not need the RNC money after all, after two Scientologist MAGA fans Elena and Grant Cardone GoFundMe page to help pay his latest legal bill.
The fervent MAGA supporters launched the page hours after the former president was ordered to pay a $355 million fine for lying about his wealth for years.
“I stand unwaveringly with President Donald Trump in light of what I see as unprecedented and unfair treatment by certain judicial elements in New York,” Elena Cardone wrote on the page.
Cardone is seeking donations from supporters to cover the full cost of Trump’s fine. As of Wednesday evening, $927,000 had been donated.