Lara Trump, the newly elected Republican National Committee co-chair and daughter-in-law of former President Donald Trump, revealed in a recent interview that the party has no intention of covering his ongoing legal expenses. She emphasized that donors have the option to withhold their contributions towards those costs if they so choose.
Lara Trump, in contrast to her father-in-law, held a different perspective on the significance of early and mail voting. She emphasized that Republicans are moving forward from the 2020 election, even though she, like Donald Trump, expressed doubts about the results without presenting concrete proof of widespread fraud.
During an appearance on NBC News on Wednesday, Lara Trump discussed a new joint fundraising committee that connects the Republican Party and the Trump campaign.
The arrangement of the new joint committee’s fine print implies a clear priority: directing funds towards the Trump campaign and Save America, a political action committee responsible for covering a substantial portion of Donald Trump’s ongoing legal expenses. Notably, a forthcoming fundraiser for the joint committee exhibits Save America’s precedence over entities such as the RNC and 40 state party committees in terms of donation disbursement.
According to Lara Trump, donors are not obligated to contribute money through that particular method, as she mentioned during an interview on NBC.
According to the spokesperson, individuals who do not wish to contribute to the limited funds can choose to opt out of doing so. If someone has concerns about their money being used for Donald Trump’s legal expenses, they have the option to easily opt out of that particular allocation.
The Trump campaign and the RNC have started raising money together through their joint fundraising committee. A portion of these funds goes to Trump’s Save America leadership PAC, which helps cover the former president’s legal expenses. However, donors also have the option to contribute directly to the RNC or a different fundraising vehicle that doesn’t include Save America, as confirmed by an RNC spokesperson.
According to financial filings, legal bills account for almost 80% of Save America’s total expenses this year. However, a spokesman for Trump stated that Save America also covers a wide range of other expenses, including a very active and robust post-Presidency office.
In response to whether the RNC will cover Donald Trump’s legal expenses, Lara Trump stated on NBC, “No, the RNC does not support paying his legal bills.” Although there was an unsuccessful attempt within the party to pass a resolution to formally prevent such coverage.
Lara Trump, who previously emphasized the importance of allocating all funds towards Donald Trump’s reelection, has now adjusted her position as co-chair. Acknowledging the party’s broader responsibilities, she recently stated that they would also prioritize down-ballot races. Lara Trump affirmed her commitment to ensuring that Republican voters’ concerns are addressed, emphasizing the careful allocation of every penny of every dollar towards causes that matter to the party’s supporters.
Views on 2020 election
Lara Trump reiterated her endorsement for early voting and vote-by-mail initiatives.
During the South Carolina primary last month, Donald Trump encouraged his supporters at campaign rallies to take advantage of in-person early voting. He recognized the importance of early voting and repeatedly urged his followers to go out and cast their votes.
President Trump consistently criticizes mail-in voting, making baseless claims that it enables fraudulent ballots.
During an interview with GB News’ Nigel Farage last week, Donald Trump falsely claimed that cheating is inevitable whenever the mail is involved.
During an interview on NBC, Lara Trump asserted that the former president would alter his stance in response to the election security initiatives being pursued by the RNC.
“We need to begin promoting early voting and encouraging Republican voters to trust mail-in voting. These are effective strategies that can give us a significant advantage as we approach Election Day,” she emphasized. “Historically, Republicans have been hesitant about these practices. For example, legal ballot harvesting is something our party has never fully embraced. However, this election cycle, we are embracing it.”
She expressed her thoughts on her father-in-law, stating, “If you were to speak to him at this moment, you would witness his strong support for early voting.”
Lara Trump, while stating that “we’re past that” in reference to the 2020 election, where Donald Trump continues to falsely assert fraud, also propagated baseless allegations regarding the security of that particular election.
“I believe that is a thing of the past. We have gained valuable insights and learned many lessons from that experience,” she remarked on NBC, reflecting on the events of 2020.
When questioned about the potential lack of trust from Republican voters in the outcome of the 2024 election if Donald Trump were to lose and maintain his skepticism, she responded, “We are currently implementing various measures at the RNC to instill greater confidence among people.”
In contrast, she compared it to 2020 and claimed that “there were numerous problems in that election,” which NBC refuted by pointing out the various audits and lawsuits that ultimately confirmed the legitimacy of the election results.
Local elections officials, representing both political parties, thoroughly reviewed and certified the 2020 election results nationwide. Their diligent efforts revealed no evidence of widespread fraud. Additionally, it is worth noting that no significant legal challenges to the election outcome were successful.
According to a source familiar with the matter, ABC News has confirmed that the RNC has been inquiring about whether individuals seeking employment within the organization believe that the 2020 election was stolen.
According to a report by The Washington Post, advisers to former President Trump have been questioning current and potential RNC staffers about their views on the 2020 presidential election as part of the hiring process.
According to Danielle Alvarez, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee (RNC), they have been seeking potential staffers who have worked in battleground states or are currently in states where fraud allegations have been prevalent. The RNC is looking for experienced staff members who have firsthand knowledge of how elections are won and lost, and who can offer genuine, experience-based insights into what happens in the trenches.
‘The reason that I’m here’
During her interview with NBC, Lara Trump appeared to have a different stance on abortion compared to her father-in-law, the former president. Although she asserted that they were in agreement, she stated that he supports the idea of letting individual states make their own decisions. It is worth noting that he has not publicly expressed support for a nationwide ban, which some Republicans have suggested.
Donald Trump has expressed his stance on the abortion issue, stating that it is “probably better” to let each state handle it. However, privately, he has shown support for a nationwide ban on abortions after 16 weeks, with exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and when the mother’s life is at risk. This information was reported by ABC News, citing two sources.
At the time, the Trump team did not reject the reports but instead stated that he would strive to establish a middle ground on abortion.
On NBC on Wednesday, Lara Trump rebuffed allegations of nepotism in her new post.
“I am here to provide reassurance to those who may have any doubts about how their money is being utilized by the RNC. Can they trust this organization? Can they confidently make donations?” she stated. “Rest assured, I speak from personal experience as the daughter-in-law of Donald Trump.”
