Who is Lara Trump, the co-chair of the Republican National Committee
Trump's daughter-in-law has found her role in the family business: the Republican Party
-U48185235056sft-1440x752@IlSole24Ore-Web.jpg?r=650x341)
3' min read
3' min read
The rise of Lara Trump as co-chair of the Republican National Committee is yet another powerful demonstration of the transformation of the Republican Party into the Trumpian Party.
Trump's daughter-in-law on Wednesday 17 July took the stage at the Republican Convention in Milwaukee, clenching her fist in the air, the sign of strength repeated over and over again by The Donald himself and immediately applauded. Wrapped in a little black dress embellished with a glittering US flag pin, Lara used the spotlight to convince sensitive voters of the existence of Trump's human side, emphasising him as an 'extraordinary grandfather' to the two young children he had with Eric Trump.
On 5 July, in an interview with the Washington Post, Lara had already explained: 'Sometimes, the only people you can trust are family members. For him [Donald Trump], unfortunately, this has almost always been the case'. In short, the Republican Party is becoming a family affair. The co-chairmanship of the Republican National Committee is a role that lends itself perfectly to nepotism-driven decision-making: the role carries no real authority or responsibility, according to the party's bylaws. Typically, the co-chair is only supposed to raise money and act as a 'handler' at GOP rallies.
Trump's daughter-in-law seems to be well aware that most voters do not think she will have a significant imprint on the party and that she would never have got there if it were not for the bloodline. But she is also stubbornly keen to remind us that it is the family tree that makes the difference and is a qualification in itself: in fact, the Trump family is in its third presidential campaign.
When asked what she can offer beyond her surname, Lara pointed to recent fundraising successes: over $280 million since she joined the organisation in March. She also reiterated that, largely thanks to her, the party is now focusing on voting integrity. Indeed, Lara is the face of 'Protect the Vote', a campaign launched to recruit 100,000 volunteers to monitor the November elections so that, as Lara says, '2020 never happens again'.
