Ronna McDaniel, chair of the RNC, plans to resign

Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel has told former President Donald J. Trump that she plans to resign shortly after the South Carolina primary on Feb. 24, according to two people familiar with the plans.

Mr. Trump will then likely promote North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley as her replacement, according to several people familiar with the discussions. However, according to the secrets of the committee's rules, Trump cannot install just anyone. New elections need to take place, and Mr Whatley could face internal disagreements within the party.

Ms. McDaniel has faced months of pressure, a campaign by Trump-allied forces to dethrone her and growing dissatisfaction and anxiety in the Trump camp over the RNC's strained finances as the general election cycle gets underway early.

Mr. Trump likes Mr. Whatley for one overwhelming reason, according to people who have discussed him with the former president: He is “a stop the steal guy,” as one described him. He endorses Mr. Trump's false claims of massive voter fraud and Mr. Trump believes he did the right thing in delivering North Carolina, a swing state in 2020, to him.

Mr. Whatley is unfounded claimed that North Carolina Republicans' election security efforts stopped Democrats from cheating. He also currently serves as general counsel at the Republican National Committee and has endorsed efforts to develop new voting laws.

Mr. Trump and his aides have made an emphasis on election security a key point they want to implement in a general election. There is no evidence of widespread fraud related to the 2020 election, and Mr. Trump's allies have lost dozens of lawsuits. Mr. Trump has told aides he believes the RNC should spend more money on “election integrity” in the 2024 race. Mr. Trump's team is also focused on hiring teams of poll workers, which the North Carolina Republican Party did in the 2022 midterm elections.

Mr. Trump has complained that the RNC's election efforts are inadequate, even as the party has poured resources into creating a full-time “Election Integrity Division,” which the party says has been involved in 77 lawsuits in 23 states.

Ms. McDaniel and Mr. Trump met at Mar-a-Lago on Monday. He posted on his social media website Truth Social shortly after their meeting and all but declared that changes were coming. In the post, he described her as “my friend” and said she was “now head of the RNC, and I will make a decision on my recommendations for RNC growth the day after the South Carolina primary.”

Ms. McDaniel had been considering leaving before the end of her term for some time, according to several people familiar with the matter. And despite hostility toward Ms. McDaniel from some of Trump's closest allies, he has been unusually soft-spoken as he begins to acknowledge her impending departure in public comments.

“I think she knows that,” Trump told the right-wing media site Newsmax in an interview that took place shortly after his meeting with Ms. McDaniel, when asked whether it was time for her to step aside. “I think she understands that.”

A press secretary for the Republican National Committee did not respond to requests for comment. A senior adviser to Mr. Trump, Jason Miller, said in a statement: “Any speculation beyond the president's post on Truth is just that: speculation.”

The RNC focuses primarily on turnout efforts and fundraising. Mr. Trump has had two previous campaigns where he worked with the committee. The first was a forced partnership after he became the surprise nominee in 2016 and the second was during the 2020 race when his team assigned key positions to the RNC. This time, the Trump team is expected to try to essentially take over the commission in some fashion. that it never happened before.

Ms. McDaniel's fundraising abilities have undoubtedly been complicated by Mr. Trump's own behavior, both while president and since he left office. Many major donors have recoiled at the former president's attempts to thwart the transition of power after the 2020 election, as well as his various legal troubles since leaving office.

Behind the scenes, public lobbying for the party chairmanship takes place even before the opening. And staff changes at the committee have been expected for some time during the election year.

Mr. Trump's influence on the party is not absolute. Last year, he had endorsed Mr. Whatley became co-chairman, but Mr. Whatley withdrew after pursuing Drew McKissick, the chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party. So does Mr. Trump supported Joe Gruters for RNC treasurer, but Mr. Gruters lost in 2023.

That loss, however, came when Trump was in the early stages of his rematch for the presidency and not on the verge of clinching the nomination, while party officials are likely to be more deferential.

Mr. McKissick is now the co-chair of the RNC (party rules designate one male and one female co-chair). He spoke with Mr. Trump in recent days and expressed his interest in serving as chairman if Ms. McDaniel were to leave, according to three people familiar with his thoughts.

A lobbying campaign against Mr. Whatley as Ms. McDaniel's replacement has begun even before her departure was official, with some RNC members saying another choice could be a more lenient choice for Mr. Trump.

Should Mr. Trump choose a new male chairman, the role of co-chairman would open up. Several prominent Republican activists have begun lobbying about that potential slot. For example, Laura Loomer, a far-right activist who supports Mr. Trump publicly opposed Jessica Patterson, chair of the Republican Party of California, for that position.

Charlie Kirk, the founder of the influential group Turning Point USA, which has publicly lobbied to oust Ms. McDaniel, suggested in an interview last week that some Trump family members — including Lara Trump, the former president's daughter-in-law — might be possible picks for party leadership posts.

On Tuesday, Republican National Committee chief of staff Mike Reed announced his departure in an email to staff. The timing was coincidental. Months ago he had accepted a new position in the private sector.