The RNC has been helping Trump pay his legal bills but will pull the plug once he kicks off his 2024 campaign: report
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
- The RNC may quit funding Trump's legal fights once he announces, ABC News reported.
- In 2021, the RNC committed to paying nearly $2 million in Trump's legal bills.
- Some Republicans worry Trump announcing his 2024 bid may torpedo the GOP's midterm chances.
The Republican National Committee has been helping former President Donald Trump fund his legal battles but would stop if he declares a 2024 run, ABC News reported.
The outlet spoke to an unnamed RNC official, who said that payments would dry up once Trump announces he's running for the GOP presidential nomination.
The official attributed this to the GOP's "neutrality policy," which means that the party needs to be impartial to all candidates in the run-up to the presidential primary.
The RNC has been helping to pay for Trump's legal fights.
In November, it paid more than $121,000 of the former president's legal fees, which went toward funding his fight against a criminal probe in New York into the financial practices of Trump and the Trump Organization.
In December, the RNC committed to paying $1.6 million toward Trump's legal fights — again, to help him fend off probes in New York over whether the Trump Organization was involved in crimes such as tax fraud.
According to ABC News, the amount that the RNC has contributed to Trump's legal battles is now closer to $2 million after making payouts in June to a law firm representing Trump.
Representatives from the RNC and Trump's post-presidential office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.
The news that the RNC could pull the plug on Trump's legal funding comes amid worries from Republicans that the announcement of Trump's 2024 bid might torpedo the GOP's chances of winning the upcoming midterm elections.
In July 2021, for instance, a GOP strategist told Insider that an early announcement from Trump would be "a complete mess" and a "train wreck for the party." Republican Gov. Larry Hogan also said this week that GOP governors are worried that Trump announcing a run before the midterms could cost them seats.
Speculation was rife this month that Trump could declare his 2024 campaign earlier than expected.
Former GOP official Kurt Bardella speculated earlier this month that Trump could announce his run early given the mounting criticism he's facing and his lack of "impulse control."
A Trump announcement could also be a means for the former president to rescue himself from the damning testimonies from witnesses during the January 6 committee's public hearings.
Trump has teased a presidential run numerous times. In January, a video emerged that showed Trump calling himself the "45th and 47th president."
from Business Insider https://ift.tt/b1u0BWr
via IFTTT
Comments
Post a Comment