Trump demands GOP bow to his will from MaraLago
Donald Trump is building a political operation to lead the Republican Party from his MaraLago resort, but the former president is clashing with other Republicans as he seeks to do it entirely on his terms.
Trump’s Florida estate has become the center of gravity for the GOP, with political operatives and politicians waiting around to get a meeting with him and holding fundraisers in hopes he’ll attend. At the same time, party leaders have gone there to persuade him — so far in vain — to put winning a GOP majority in Congress in 2022 over retaliating against Republicans who opposed him.
Instead, Trump has made it clear he wants to expand his own fundraising and political operation, cement his place as leader of the Republican Party and defeat the 10 GOP members of Congress who voted to impeach him on a charge of inciting the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. That has put him at odds with the very party leaders who want to ride his popularity back to power.
The pattern emerging is similar to the way he’s operated since entering politics in 2015: Identify enemies, encourage rivalries and raise money toward his own political goals, whether it’s good for the broader party agenda or not.
At MaraLago, Trump shows up at some of the fundraisers, like a March 5 event for South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a staunch ally who faces reelection next year. Sen. Mike Lee of Utah had a fundraiser there last month, and Alabama Senate candidate Lynda Blanchard, Trump’s former ambassador to Slovenia, has an event scheduled there on Saturday.
Trump, who openly muses about running for president again in 2024, has formally endorsed 10 incumbents and potential candidates and two state GOP chairmen so far, and he’s vowed to promote candidates loyal to him and his “America First” agenda.
Trump adviser Jason Miller said Donald Trump Jr. is leading the effort to recruit candidates for House, Senate and governor’s races as well as challengers against the 10 proimpeachment Republicans. He said the former president wants to avoid candidates who might turn against him in the future.
Such planning has led to clashes with the Republican National Committee and other party entities over control of fundraising, and over whether the emphasis on defeating House and Senate candidates who opposed him on impeachment complicates the efforts to win congressional majorities in 2022.