Former President Trump said Thursday he did not support a push by allies at the Republican National Committee (RNC) to effectively make him the party’s presumptive nominee, even as former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley remains in the primary race.
“While I greatly appreciate the Republican National Committee (RNC) wanting to make me their PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE, and while they have far more votes than necessary to do it, I feel, for the sake of PARTY UNITY, that they should NOT go forward with this plan, but that I should do it the “Old Fashioned” way, and finish the process off AT THE BALLOT BOX,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The former president’s social media post undercut an effort led by David Bossie, a former Trump campaign aide and RNC committee member, that would have made Trump the presumptive nominee via resolution.
It would have been a remarkable move from party leaders to declare an end to the primary after just two contests and with two candidates still campaigning. Some RNC members reportedly pushed back on the idea, arguing it would give voters no say in choosing their nominee.
Trump has so far won 32 of the 1,215 delegates needed to clinch the GOP nomination.
Once Trump is the presumptive nominee, it would open up additional joint fundraising possibilities between his campaign and the RNC.
Trump and his supporters are eager to turn their focus to the general election race against President Biden, who has already amassed a huge war chest and who earlier this week said it was clear Trump would be his GOP opponent.
Haley, who finished a distant third in the Iowa caucuses and lost to Trump by 11 percentage points in New Hampshire, has vowed to carry on with her campaign. She plans to hold events in her home state of South Carolina, where Trump is leading her by a wide margin in the polls ahead of the Feb. 24 primary.