Trump influencing GOP to update platform after four-year freeze

The Trump campaign is pushing to elect those closely aligned with the presumptive presidential nominee’s agenda to positions on the Republican National Committee‘s Platform Committee.

Much of this effort by former President Donald Trump’s campaign relates to concerns that far-right conservatives will push stances on abortion and same-sex marriage that may alienate the general population just ahead of the general election.

The RNC’s Platform Committee consists of a male and a female representative from each U.S. state and territory, and it will play an instrumental role in shaping the party’s stances on dozens of policy issues. The party’s current platform is a 66-page document that hasn’t been reviewed since the 2016 election.

In 2020, the RNC passed a resolution stating it would not adopt a new platform, pointing to the COVID-19 pandemic interfering with the party’s ability to hold meetings. That year marked the first time in more than 150 years that the RNC decided not to make adjustments to its official platform, per NBC News.

Shiree Verdone served as co-chairwoman of Trump’s campaign in Arizona in both 2016 and 2020 but is no longer involved with the Republican Party of Arizona. She told the outlet that Trump’s team is concerned about who is getting on the party’s platform committee.

“Trying to get normal folks on the Platform and Rules [committees], but God knows if there’s any normal people in that delegation,” Verdone said.

The committee’s leadership consists of strong Trump supporters, including Trump’s former ambassador to Luxembourg, Randy Evans, who will serve as executive director. Russ Vought, Trump’s former director of the Office of Management and Budget, will serve as policy director, and Ed Martin, the head of several conservative groups, will serve as deputy policy director.

“The campaign is really getting into it and involved this year in [Platform Committee] races in states,” a veteran Republican operative told the outlet. “There is a sense among them that the platform should not be pushed too far to the right on a few issues, but I keep hearing abortion and marriage specifically.”

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While far-right conservatives have called for a national ban on abortion, Trump has been steadfast in his stance that the matter will be left up to the states.

“I DO NOT SUPPORT A BAN ON BIRTH CONTROL, AND NEITHER WILL THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!” Trump declared on Truth Social.