Former President Donald J. Trump’s complete control over the Republican National Committee continued this week as interviews were conducted for key positions, with a controversial question being asked: Was the 2020 presidential election stolen?
The question about the legitimacy of the 2020 election was posed during interviews to fill the positions of over 60 R.N.C. officials who were let go earlier this month, as reported by three sources familiar with the situation.
According to the sources, most of the applicants responded by highlighting irregularities in the 2020 election and expressing concerns about changes to rules and laws due to the pandemic, even though there is no evidence of widespread fraud in that election. Mr. Trump and his allies have continued to question the legitimacy of the election.
The Washington Post was the first to report that the R.N.C. interviews included a question about the validity of the 2020 election.
It remains unknown how the responses from applicants will impact the hiring decisions of party officials. A spokesperson for the R.N.C. has not yet commented on the matter.
Earlier this month, the R.N.C. elected new leaders who were chosen by Mr. Trump, including Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law.
R.N.C. lawyers have advised party officials in recent years to avoid claiming widespread fraud in the 2020 election, instead emphasizing the need for poll watchers. This caution came as several Trump advisers faced legal consequences for their attempts to overturn the election results.
Top R.N.C. officials were also concerned about making false election claims since the party had just been freed from a long-standing ban on making claims of voter fraud without court approval, a ban that dated back to 1982.
President Biden’s campaign swiftly responded to reports about the R.N.C. interview question.
In a statement, campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa remarked, “Donald Trump is demanding loyalty to his extreme, undemocratic beliefs to be part of his Republican Party. Americans reject his falsehoods, attacks on democracy, calls for violence, and dangerous agenda.”
