Mike Reed, the RNC chief of staff, is resigning

A top lieutenant of Ronna McDaniel, the embattled chairman of the Republican National Committee, announced Tuesday that he would leave his post at the end of the month.

Mike Reed, the committee's chief of staff since 2022, denied that his departure was prompted by a leadership overhaul teased in recent days by former President Donald J. Trump. In a memo to staff, obtained by The New York Times, he wrote that “it's simply time for a change” and that he had “a growing family that needs and deserves my attention.”

The announcement followed a suggestion from Mr Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, that Ms. McDaniel should no longer lead the party.

“I know the timing of this news comes as there is a lot of buzz in the press and we are preparing for a merger with the presumptive nominee,” Mr. Reed said, referring to Mr. Trump. “I assure you that the RNC is in an incredibly strong position. We always knew there would be some changes once we had a presumptive nominee, and we welcome that.”

In a statement released Tuesday, Ms. McDaniel called Mr. Reed a “calm and steady hand” in the “chaotic world of DC and the RNC.”

She did not elaborate on the timing of his departure, which followed the recent revelation that the committee had recorded its weakest cash position in years: just $8 million in cash, with $1.8 million in debt.

Mr. Reed, who according to his LinkedIn profile held three other positions at the committee before becoming chief of staff, said in his memo that he would leave for a private-sector position outside politics.

His memo attempted to paint a rosy picture of the state of the party and Ms. McDaniel's leadership, claiming both were on solid footing. It described recent conversations between Ms. McDaniel and Mr. Trump as optimistic. Politico reported this that they met on Monday at Mar-a-Lago, Trump's club for members in Florida.