Republicans ‘flabbergasted’ by RNC response to Trump, emails reveal
Cami Mondeaux
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Several members of the Republican National Committee were reportedly angry with former President Donald Trump after he was seen hosting white nationalist Nick Fuentes and rapper Kanye West at his Mar-a-Lago home in November, calling on the committee chairwoman to denounce his actions.
In private emails that were sent to all 168 committee members at the end of November, a number of RNC members expressed frustration with the former president and his dinner with Fuentes and West, who has made a number of antisemitic comments in recent weeks. The messages show deep frustration and anger toward Trump, with members calling on the RNC chairwoman to condemn his decision in public.
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The emails emerged from a thread that began with a heartfelt message from Richard Porter, the national committeeman, on Thanksgiving, thanking his colleagues for “preserving, protecting, and promoting our great nation.”
“I am so thankful to be working alongside each of you, and each of the other people in our respective states and territories, to stop the hate and defeat the anger,” he wrote in an internal email obtained by Politico.
However, the conversation then turned to Trump’s dinner with Fuentes and West, who now goes by Ye, which took place just days earlier.
“Is it just me or is anyone else struck by the incredible irony that Richard was writing these wonderful words within 48 hours of Donald Trump having dinner with anti-Semite Kanye West and Nick Fuentes, also an anti-Semite and a racist, white nationalist,” wrote Committeeman Bill Palatucci in a response email, according to the outlet. “All Republican leaders need to stand up and denounce Trump’s actions and lack of judgment here.”
Other emails specifically called out Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, criticizing her for an apparent lack of outrage.
“I am flabbergasted at the lack of outrage from Ronna about this,” Oscar Brock, a national committeeman from Tennessee, wrote in another email. “I tweeted to her yesterday, asking her to condemn this. We must, as a party, oppose all racism and prejudice, and condemn those who accept and endorse it, which includes inviting neo-nazi’s to dinner.”
McDaniel did come out in a series of statements condemning Fuentes and Ye, noting there is no place for “their views inside the Republican Party.”
“As I had repeatedly said, white supremacy, neo-Nazism, hate speech and bigotry are disgusting and do not have a home in the Republican Party,” McDaniel said in a statement.
The report comes at a crucial time for McDaniel as she vies to be reelected as the committee’s chairwoman amid widespread scrutiny of the party, particularly regarding the former president and his influence over the GOP. At the time the emails were sent, McDaniel was juggling a number of political projects, including the Senate runoff in Georgia and the chairwoman’s reelection bid.
It also comes as some conservatives have openly questioned McDaniel’s leadership, especially in the wake of Republicans’ disappointing midterm results. The GOP’s failure to capture the Senate has prompted some Republicans to consider challenging McDaniel for the top RNC position and others to call for new leadership.
“She’s a wonderful person, but the results do speak for themselves,” Fox News’s Laura Ingraham said earlier this week. “It’s time for change at the RNC. Her tenure needs to come to an end.”
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At least two Republicans are challenging McDaniel, including lawyer and RNC Committeewoman Harmeet Dhillon. McDaniel was also faced with a high-profile challenge from Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY), who had a better-than-expected run for New York governor last month. Zeldin later bowed out, but he maintained his position that McDaniel should step down.
However, McDaniel has expressed confidence in her reelection prospects, claiming the pledged support of 108 RNC members, a source familiar with the chairwoman’s reelection bid told the Washington Examiner — putting her well above the needed majority to be elected to a fourth term as committee chairwoman.