Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is pushing Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus to be more loyal and supportive of the Republican nominee, according to a source familiar with the conversations.
The move reflects a sense within Trump’s family that Priebus is being too negative and the fallout from Trump’s tape may not be as bad as it seems.
It comes as RNC sources have made clear they’re waiting to see how Sunday night’s debate goes to determine whether they will continue to work with and for Trump to get him elected. It is entirely possible the RNC may cut ties and focus on down ballot races because there could be a revolt among Republicans demanding the party not spend resources on a losing battle, according to the source.
Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, a CNN political commentator, trashed Priebus on Sunday night before the debate.
“Not only is he weak, he is a failed leader,” Lewandowski told CNN’s Erin Burnett.
Meanwhile, Trump’s alliance with another key supporter — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — appears in question.
Christie did not accompany Trump’s family and other close advisers on his campaign plane to St. Louis the debate with Hillary Clinton. A Trump campaign source told CNN’s Jim Acosta Christie had issues to attend to in the state, but very much looks forward to watching the debate on TV this evening.
But his absence is notable, since Christie had taken the reins of Trump’s debate preparation and was at Trump’s town hall Thursday in New Hampshire — an event that advisers planned to familiarize Trump with a style he hadn’t practiced.
The splintering of Trump’s support comes as the GOP nominee grapples with the fallout of a 2005 video in which he bragged before an “Access Hollywood” interview that his star status allows him to be sexually aggressive with women.
In a Facebook video posted in the early Saturday morning hours, Trump apologized for the remarks — but also signaled that he plans to attack Hillary Clinton over her handling of Bill Clinton’s infidelities in Sunday’s town hall-style debate.
Trump’s 2005 remarks, and what many saw as an insincere response, led to a revolt Saturday within GOP ranks, as more than two dozen high-profile figures — including the 2008 Republican nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, and 15 other senators — said they no longer supported their party’s nominee.
The Republican National Committee on Saturday put a temporary pause on its direct mail operations to determine whether it needs to change its message and other get-out-the-vote efforts, a top RNC official told CNN Saturday.