Trump Moves To Seize Control Of The GOP Through Funding

While Donald Trump lost the 2020 election by more than 7 million votes, he is still very popular with the Republican base. Poll after poll has shown that, and GOP officials are afraid to go against him, fearing he will oppose their re-election.

But that's not good enough for Trump. He wants absolute control over the party. And he's trying to accomplish that through funding of GOP campaigns.

His first effort was to send cease and desist letters to the Republican Party, and its House and Senate campaign efforts -- demanding that they no longer use his name or his image in their fundraising efforts.

That didn't work. They countered that because he was elected as a Republican, they had the right to use his name and image. Trump then upped the ante. He sent a missive to his followers (most of the GOP base) asking them not to donate to the Republican Party. Instead, he asked them to send any donations to his PAC.

If he is successful, it could seriously damage Republican fundraising, and make Republicans wanting campaign funds have to bow to him to get that money. This would give him total control over the party, making the party subservient to his whims. He would be the party's dictator, and no Republican could do anything Trump didn't want done. And it would kill any effort by a GOP candidate that might run against Trump for the 2024 presidential nomination.

It would also satisfy his greed, since the PAC funds can be used any way Trump wants -- including being funneled into Trump's own businesses.

The Republican Party made a bad mistake by nominating Trump in 2016. Now they are paying the price for that mistake.