Lara Trump, the newly appointed co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), announced on Friday that she reeled in a substantial six-figure donation for the committee on her first day in office.
“We have to raise a lot of money, and I have great news,” Lara Trump said while addressing an enthusiastic audience.
“I brought this up here today because I wanted everyone to know that already I have a check for the Republican National Committee for a hundred thousand dollars that has been donated as of today, as of these nominations going through. Yeah, we’re starting today, folks.”
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At the meeting held in the ballroom of the downtown Houston Hilton, Lara confidently said, “As my father-in-law says, ‘bigly’ … we’re going to win!” She continued, “We cannot win if we’re divided.”
Donald Trump and his allies at the RNC have consolidated power in the party as their favored candidates, including Michael Whatley, a vocal supporter of Trump’s contested voter fraud claims, assume key leadership positions.
Whatley’s ascent to the national chairman role alongside Lara Trump as co-chair shows the Trump family’s continued influence within the party’s structure.
Lara’s entry into RNC leadership comes as Ronna McDaniel steps down from her chair position, honoring her promise to resign following the South Carolina Republican primary. McDaniel’s departure, marked by mixed emotions at the committee’s spring meeting, closes a seven-year chapter of her leadership.
Lara became a part of the Trump family through her marriage with Eric Trump. Before her involvement in politics, she graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in communication and then pursued further studies at the French Culinary Institute in New York. She worked as a story coordinator and producer for the television news magazine “Inside Edition” from 2012 to 2016.
Lara’s foray into politics began in earnest during the 2016 presidential campaign, where she took an active role in supporting Donald Trump’s candidacy. She worked on the campaign’s digital operations and was involved in various aspects of the campaign. Her role continued to expand within the Trump political sphere, taking on significant responsibilities during the 2020 reelection campaign for President Trump. Lara has been a visible presence on the campaign trail, known for her articulate speeches and appearances on behalf of the Trump family. She even weighed a bid for the Senate in North Carolina before deciding not to run.
The early financial boost provided by Lara Trump’s fundraising efforts can be seen as a promising sign for the committee’s future. The RNC looks set to enhance its operations and position itself strongly for upcoming political challenges, all under the influential shadow of the Trump family.
A recent Wall Street Journal poll revealed a closely contested potential matchup for the 2024 presidential election between Trump and Joe Biden, with Trump narrowly leading Biden 47% to 45%. Concerns about the candidates’ ages have persisted among voters, with 73% considering Biden, 81, too old for re-election—unchanged from August.