The chairs of three Republican organizations issued a joint statement on Tuesday in an effort a reconciliation with former President Donald Trump who over the weekend hit them with legal notices demanding that they stop fundraising off his name.
Chairs of the Republican National Committee (RNC), National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) said in the Tuesday statement, first reported by The Hill, that they look forward to working together with Trump heading into the 2022 midterms.
“The RNC, NRSC and NRCC are grateful for President Trump’s support, both past and future. Through his powerful agenda, we were able to break fundraising records and elect Republicans up and down the ballot. Together, we look forward to working with President Trump to retake our Congressional majorities and deliver results for the American people,” said RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, NRSC Chair Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) and NRCC Chair Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN).
The joint statement came after Trump railed against so-called “RINOs and fools” while maintaining he supports the Republican Party.
“I fully support the Republican Party and important GOP Committees, but I do not support RINOs and fools, and it is not their right to use my likeness or image to raise funds,” Trump said.
Trump’s intensifying posture against the Republican establishment, and efforts to wage war with its traditional fundraising arm, follows remarks made at the Conservative Political Action Conference late last month. At that time, Trump urged attendees to donate only through his political action committee and website, effectively snubbing the traditional GOP fundraising operation.
He also took aim at his perceived enemies, calling on supporters to abandon his critics in Congress, saying, “get rid of them all.”
Earlier this week, the RNC appeared to brush off the cease-and-desist notice, maintaining that First Amendment rights guaranteed its freedom to use the former president’s image, while meanwhile appearing to make a peace offering by relocating part of its spring donor retreat next month to Trump’s Palm Beach resort.
The shift in tone conveyed by the joint statement from the group of Republican organizations, however, suggests how the GOP establishment is weighing ways to appease the former president amid his ongoing support from a strong base of small-dollar donors.
Trump has already issued endorsements into the 2022 midterms, signaling his growing efforts to steer the future of conservative movement.
The former president endorsed a primary challenger to Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) and vowed to campaign against Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who supported his impeachment for inciting an insurrection of the Capitol on Jan. 6.
He is also expected to begin meeting with other potential midterm challengers seeking his endorsement at his Mar-a-Lago resort this month in an intensifying effort to seek revenge against those who have crossed him.
