The Republican National Committee (RNC) has reportedly implemented a de facto loyalty test for prospective employees, asking them to subscribe to former President Donald Trump’s unfounded assertion that the 2020 election was stolen, according to recent reports. This move aligns with the organization’s efforts to align closely with Trump’s post-presidential agenda and his continued influence over the GOP.
In interviews conducted mostly virtually, potential RNC staff are being directly questioned on their stance regarding the 2020 election, with Trump advisers asking, “Was the 2020 election stolen?” The question, often posed in the presence of top Trump aides, has startled many potential hires, suggesting a direct link between their employment prospects and their belief in Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud.
According to Danielle Alvarez, a spokesperson for the RNC and Trump, candidates with frontline experience in battleground states or in areas where fraud allegations have been prominent are specifically being queried about their work experiences. “We want experienced staff with meaningful views on how elections are won and lost and real experience-based opinions about what happens in the trenches,” Alvarez stated.
This approach seems to consolidate Trump’s grip on the party apparatus as his advisers vet both former and laid-off employees. Prospective hires have been told that, rather than being based in Washington D.C., they may be expected to relocate to Palm Beach, Florida, near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, a move indicative of the merging of Trump’s campaign operations with the RNC.
The shift comes after Trump expressed dissatisfaction with RNC leadership under former Chair Ronna McDaniel, criticizing the committee’s handling of “election integrity” and alleging neglect of his claims of a stolen election. Following McDaniel’s departure, Trump endorsed the takeover by Michael Whatley, a North Carolina loyalist, and Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law, effectively cementing his influence within the RNC.
GOP strategist Doug Heye commented on the new direction of the RNC, stating, “The problem with Trumpism is that despite bringing in very smart and very capable people, if you want to play Trump’s game, you have to back him up on everything he says. Claims about the election being stolen is kind of the last frontier of that.”
Criticism has been swift, with Democratic election attorney Marc Elias tweeting, “This is insane even for a Trumpian RNC,” and questioning how the RNC could recover from instituting such a stringent and controversial standard for employment.
Despite the internal tumult, Trump’s false narrative about the 2020 election remains a polarizing force within the party. This latest development underscores the ongoing challenges the RNC faces as it attempts to navigate Trump’s demands and the broader implications for the integrity of the electoral process.
Relevant articles:
– “This is insane”: RNC reportedly makes Trump’s false election claims a “litmus test” for new hires
– Was the 2020 election stolen? Job interviews at RNC take an unusual turn. The Washington Post, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 04:11:00 GMT
– RNC asks job applicants if they believe 2020 election was stolen in ‘litmus test’ The Guardian US, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:17:00 GMT
– RNC staffers and new hires asked whether they believe the 2020 election was stolen CNN, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 03:34:00 GMT