Lara Trump steps down as RNC co-chair, responds to speculation over Florida Senate seat

(AP) – Lara Trump will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee as she reviews a number of potential options with her father-in-law, President-elect Donald Trump, set to return to the White House.

Among those possibilities is replacing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Trump chose to become the next secretary of state. If Rubio is confirmed, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will choose who fills the seat until the end of Rubio’s term, which expires in 2026.

“It’s something I would seriously consider,” she told The Associated Press in an interview. “If I’m completely transparent, I don’t know exactly what that would look like. And I definitely want to get all the information I can if this is something real for me. But yes, I would 100% consider it.

Elected co-chair of the RNC in March, Lara Trump played a key role in Republicans regaining the White House and control of the Senate while maintaining a slim majority in the House. What she does next could shape Republican politics, given her high political profile and ties to the new president.

The idea of ​​putting a member of the Trump family in the Senate has been welcomed in some Republican circles. Among those pushing for her to replace Rubio is Maye Musk, mother of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

“The Senate is an old man’s club. We desperately need an intelligent, young, outspoken woman who will reveal her secrets,” she posted on X. Lara Trump is 42 years old.

Elon Musk, who was with Lara Trump on election night at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, responded to his mother’s post: “Lara Trump is so awesome. »

Led by its chairman Michael Whatley and Lara Trump, the RNC has invested heavily in recruiting about 230,000 volunteers and an army of lawyers for what it calls its “election integrity” effort, four years later. that Donald Trump lost his re-election bid to Democrat Joe Biden, citing false arguments. or unproven theories about voter fraud. Outside groups such as Turning Point Action and Musk’s America PAC have taken greater responsibility for advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts.

Although Whatley will remain RNC chair, Lara Trump said she feels she accomplished her goals as co-chair.

“With this big win, I feel like my time is up,” she said. “What I intended to do has been done.”

Lara Trump praised Elon Musk’s new initiative, the Department of Government Effectiveness, or DOGE, a non-governmental task force led by Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. They were tapped to lay off federal employees, cut programs and gut federal regulations as part of Trump’s “Save America” ​​agenda for his second term.

“I really don’t think we’ve seen a movement like this in our federal government since the founding of our country, in many ways,” she said. “And I think if they succeed in what they plan to do, I think it will be very transformative for America.”

She said she expected a different presidency this time, starting with the structure of the administration: while Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, were White House advisers in his last administration, Lara Trump said she wasn’t seeing any family. This time around, the congresswoman would take any White House position with her father-in-law.

“He really wants to get there and do a good job for four years, and that’s all he wants to serve,” she said. “Four years and he’s out.”

Lara Trump also says she expects the Republican Party to be more united than it has ever been. When she became co-chair in May, the Trump campaign and the RNC merged, with layoffs and restructured positions. She said the outcome could cause problems for Republican lawmakers who disagree with Trump’s agenda.

“The party as a whole has totally changed,” she said. “I think people are feeling a little bolder when expressing their political views.”

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Linderman reported from Baltimore and Mendoza from Santa Cruz, California.

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