Republican National Committee Leadership Change (2024)

In early 2024, the Republican National Committee (RNC), the governing body of the Republican Party in the United States, underwent significant leadership changes. Long-time RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and co-chair Drew McKissick announced their resignations ahead of the party’s Spring Training meeting. McDaniel, who had led the committee since 2017, stepped down as part of a transition that aligned with the party’s presumptive 2024 presidential nominee’s preference for new leadership. In this context, former President Donald Trump publicly endorsed two figures to lead the national committee: Michael Whatley, then chair of the North Carolina Republican Party, for the position of chair, and his daughter-in-law Lara Trump for the position of co-chair. At the RNC’s leadership meeting on March 8, 2024, both Whatley and Lara Trump were elected by acclamation to their respective posts. McDaniel’s departure and the subsequent election of new leadership were widely reported as part of an effort to reposition the party’s national committee for the 2024 election cycle, with both candidates receiving formal endorsement from Trump.

 Lara Trump’s Role as Co-Chair of the RNC

Lara Trump, a television producer and political adviser, assumed the role of RNC co-chair on March 8, 2024, alongside Michael Whatley as chair. Her election to the position came after McDaniel and McKissick vacated the roles, and both Whatley and Trump were chosen unanimously in the internal party vote by RNC members. As co-chair, Trump served in a leadership capacity for the committee—promoting fundraising, voter engagement, and party strategy as part of the national organization’s efforts during the 2024 campaign season. Her position was formal and recorded as part of the RNC’s official leadership roster for that year.

Activities and Functions During Tenure

While serving as co-chair, Lara Trump represented the Republican National Committee in various public and party-related functions. The RNC itself issued memos and materials acknowledging that the committee’s leadership had been unified more closely with the Trump campaign’s operations after the March 2024 leadership change. Internal communications to RNC members noted that the committee’s goals included merger efforts with campaign activities, focusing on voter outreach, election integrity priorities, and broader organizational coordination. As co-chair, Trump was part of public statements and messaging that emphasized these priorities, which included bolstering fundraising efforts and engaging in national campaign strategy ahead of the 2024 elections.

Stepping Down From the RNC Co-Chair Position

Although Lara Trump was confirmed as co-chair in March 2024, she did not remain in that role indefinitely. In late 2024, reporting confirmed that Trump announced she intended to step down from the position. She shared publicly that the “job I came to do is now complete” and that she planned to formally relinquish her role at the RNC’s next meeting. These reports noted that Trump’s tenure had covered the primary and general election period, and that her formal resignation was scheduled to take effect at an appropriate transition meeting later in the party calendar. Media coverage indicated that the move came amid speculation about future political ambitions, including consideration of possible future Senate roles, though Trump ultimately declined a Senate run.

 Succession and Leadership After Trump’s Resignation

Following Lara Trump’s decision not to continue as co-chair, the RNC held its next leadership election at the January 2025 meeting of the committee. At that meeting, Michael Whatley was reelected as chair, and KC Crosbie was elected as the new co-chair, succeeding Trump. The change in leadership was recorded officially, with Crosbie assuming the co-chair role on January 17, 2025. Her election positioned her as part of the RNC’s continued governance structure going into future electoral cycles and reaffirmed the committee’s process for leadership turnover. This confirmed timeline makes clear that Trump’s service as co-chair was time-bound and subject to the organization’s formal election cycle.

Broader Context and Public Profile

Lara Trump’s involvement with the Republican National Committee marked a period in which the party’s leadership was closely tied to individuals associated with former President Donald Trump’s political network. As co-chair, she became a visible representative of the RNC during a high-stakes national election year. Coverage of her tenure and resignation further noted her active engagement with media, public discourse, and political speculation about future roles, though she has since returned to media work as well. Her career continues to intersect with political commentary and public positions, but her confirmed role as RNC co-chair remains a defined episode occurring between March 2024 and her formal resignation ahead of the January 2025 leadership vote.