Former Governor Asa Hutchinson (R-Arkansas) has proposed that the leader of the Republican National Committee (RNC) should commit to refraining from using the organization’s limited resources to cover former President Trump’s legal expenses. This suggestion arises amid growing concerns regarding how Trump intends to finance his escalating legal bills.
Hutchinson, who recently suspended his White House bid against Trump, expressed his viewpoint on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, stating, “No one should be leader of RNC unless they pledge not to use its limited resources to pay legal fees and judgements of Donald Trump.”
The call for such a pledge follows a recent ruling by a New York judge, which mandated Trump to pay over $355 million for his involvement in altering his net worth and asset values to gain tax and insurance benefits. Additionally, Trump faces an $83.3 million fine for defaming columnist E. Jean Carroll after repeatedly denying allegations of sexual abuse, despite being found liable.
Federal election filings have revealed that Trump’s fundraising committees allocated nearly $30 million towards covering his legal expenses during the latter half of 2023. Concerns have been raised within the Republican Party that Trump might attempt to utilize the RNC’s resources to cover his extensive legal fees, especially after endorsing Michael Whatley, the head of the North Carolina GOP, and Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law, for leadership positions within the committee.
These concerns were further fueled by Lara Trump’s recent statement in an interview, where she expressed her intention to utilize “every single penny” of the RNC’s funds to support her father-in-law’s reelection efforts if appointed as co-chair.
Trump’s financial status, which has been a significant component of his public image, may suffer a substantial blow following the recent legal verdicts. With combined penalties totaling over $500 million, Trump risks losing a significant portion of his estimated net worth, which ranges from $2.6 to $3.1 billion according to various estimators.
Nikki Haley, the sole remaining challenger to Trump in the GOP presidential contest, echoed similar concerns. During an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Haley expressed apprehension that Trump would continue to attempt to utilize the RNC as his “legal defense fund” following his endorsement of the organization. She emphasized her reluctance to see the RNC depleted as “his piggy bank” given the organization’s already strained financial status.
