Former President Donald Trump indicated Monday that Ronna McDaniel should leave her post as head of the Republican National Committee in a shift from his past praise for her.
During a Newsmax interview at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump was asked whether he thinks McDaniel should step aside. He responded affirmatively, saying: "Well, I think she knows that. I think she understands that."
McDaniel was at Mar-a-Lago on Monday night, according to a source who saw her there.
Trump, who is seeking a return to the White House, told Fox News on Sunday that “there’ll probably be some changes” at the RNC when he was asked about McDaniel's performance. He did not elaborate.
The RNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday night, nor did it respond Sunday after Trump's Fox News remarks.
In a Truth Social post Monday night, Trump referred to McDaniel as his "friend" and cited her role as Michigan GOP chairwoman when he narrowly won the state in the 2016 general election, making him the first Republican presidential candidate to do so since 1988.
"Ronna is now Head of the RNC, and I’ll be making a decision the day after the South Carolina Primary as to my recommendations for RNC Growth," Trump wrote.
The Republican primary in South Carolina will be on Feb. 24.
McDaniel has frequently backed Trump, recently telling Fox News after he decisively won the New Hampshire Republican primary last month that "it’s time to move forward, and I think Donald Trump is going to be the nominee," even as former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley has said she has "every intention" to remain in the race through Super Tuesday in early March.
Trump selected McDaniel to lead the RNC in 2017. She handily won re-election for a fourth term last year, despite the party's disappointing midterm election results.