A growing number of Republican National Committee (RNC) members are pushing for the party's campaign arm to help cover former President Donald Trump's escalating legal bills, a move that could put a strain on the RNC's ability to financially support other candidates in the 2024 election. The debate over funding Trump's legal defense has intensified as the former president faces 91 felony charges across four separate investigations and a recent $355 million judgment in a civil fraud case in New York.
RNC Committeeman Solomon Yue from Oregon told CNBC that he believes "more than a majority" of members support offsetting the bills from Trump's lawyers in the pending criminal and civil cases. "I support the RNC paying President Trump's legal bills," Yue said, adding that "winning this lawfare is to defeat Biden's reelection in November."
The push to fund Trump's legal defense led to the defeat of a proposed resolution by RNC committee member Henry Barbour on Tuesday, which would have barred the group from paying those bills once Trump becomes the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. "The resolution is dead," Barbour told Reuters, confirming that he failed to secure the necessary co-sponsors from at least 10 states to bring the matter to a vote during the RNC's meeting in Houston on Friday.
Trump's senior campaign advisor, Chris LaCivita, who the former president has endorsed to become the next RNC chief operating officer, previously told reporters that the committee would not be used to pay Trump's legal bills. However, the growing support among RNC members for the idea may override this promise and the committee's historical focus on raising money to support candidates up and down the ballot.
Ronna McDaniel, who has led the RNC since 2017, plans to step down at the spring meeting, and her successor will likely face the decision on whether to allocate funds for Trump's legal defense. The RNC entered February with just $8.7 million on hand after raising around $11 million, a relatively small sum compared to the nearly $50 million Trump's political operation spent on legal fees last year, according to an NBC News analysis of Federal Election Commission filings.
Supporters of funding Trump's legal bills argue that his expected efforts to raise money for the RNC justify the committee's assistance. "The only funds the RNC will have (above keeping the lights on and hopefully making payroll) will come from the amazing efforts of Trump to raise money," said RNC member Paul Reynolds of Alabama in an email to CNBC. "What then is my basis/argument for not paying Trump's legal expenses when it is money the Trump organization is bringing to the table?"
However, critics warn that the move could be seen as an attempt by Trump to streamline the RNC with his campaign, potentially compromising the committee's ability to support other Republican candidates in the upcoming election. The debate has also raised questions about the RNC's financial priorities, given its current cash-strapped state.
As the RNC prepares to elect a new chair on Friday, the decision on whether to cover Trump's legal fees looms large. Trump has already endorsed his preferred candidates for the top positions, including his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, who previously said she would spend "every single penny" of RNC funds to reelect her father-in-law to the White House.
The outcome of this internal battle could have significant implications for the RNC's financial health and its ability to support Republican candidates in the 2024 election cycle. As Trump's legal woes continue to mount, the committee faces a critical decision that will test its priorities and the extent to which it is willing to align itself with the former president's personal legal battles.
