Trump, once a political outsider in the Republican Party, now wields significant influence, with the MAGA faction assumed to be the dominant force within the GOP.
Trump's Influence Shapes the Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee (RNC) has undergone a significant transformation under the influence of former President Donald Trump. This transformation is evident in the changes in leadership and the ideological shift within the party.
Trump's first RNC chair was Ronna Romney McDaniel, a notable figure in her own right as the niece of 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney. Despite Romney's public warnings against Trump's election, McDaniel took on the role, marking a new era for the RNC.
The RNC, once an establishment-controlled Grand Old Party, now reflects Trump and his populist nationalism. This change is evident in the election of new leaders like Joe Gruters of Florida, described by Trump as a "MAGA warrior." Gruters now leads the RNC, while Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump and Michael Whatley of North Carolina serve as co-chairs.
The shift is also reflected in the emergence of newcomers inspired by Trump. Amy Kremer, an early tea party leader and supporter of Trump, became an RNC member in 2024. Kremer, who organized a rally near the White House in 2021 that preceded the storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump's supporters, has been a significant figure in this transformation.
However, the changes in the RNC are not just about personalities. Trump's loyalists, such as Steven Bannon, David Bossie, Susie Wiles, and others, have worked behind the scenes to build state-level infrastructure and recruit candidates for state party leadership, RNC seats, and down-ballot offices.
This long-term groundwork has ensured that with each new turnover across the party's organizational chart, the scales tip further in Trump's direction. For instance, John Wahl, the Alabama party chairman, became the youngest GOP chairman nationally at age 34 in 2021.
Moreover, the affinity for Trump among RNC members runs deeper than for his predecessors. This is evident in the Republicans' "America First" and MAGA identity, which is not simply about Trump's charismatic branding but rather evidence of a movement that predated his presidency and will last beyond.
Despite Trump's seeming detachment from the party during his time in office, he has made changes that have left a lasting impact. For instance, Trump pushed out Ronna Romney McDaniel and tapped Lara Trump and Whatley as party co-chairs. Trump has also shown a degree of bottom-line pragmatism where the party is concerned, as demonstrated by his appointment of Vice President JD Vance to chair the RNC's finance operations, linking the White House and the party's fundraising apparatus in an unusually high-ranking position.
The RNC has also seen an influx of new members, with nearly four dozen joining the committee at the 2024 convention, and another 21 joining in Atlanta. This influx of new members, coupled with the changes in leadership and ideology, has solidified Trump's influence over the RNC.
However, not all within the RNC are aligned with Trump. Terry Lathan, a former Alabama GOP chairman, backed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over Trump in the 2024 GOP primary. Similarly, Bryan Miller, who heads Wyoming's Republican Party, supported Trump in the 2016 primaries but recalled watching Liz Cheney, a high-profile Wyoming Republican, lead the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Cheney endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris over Trump in 2024.
Despite these dissenting voices, the influence of Trump on the RNC is undeniable. His charisma, his policies, and his loyalists have shaped the party into a reflection of his populist nationalism, and this influence is likely to continue in the future.
