Political Comeback? Ousted RNC Chair Comes Crawling Back After NBC Humiliation
Former Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has emerged from political exile to spearhead a new conservative initiative in Michigan.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that McDaniel will lead Michigan Forward Network, a nonprofit organization backed by the influential DeVos family.
McDaniel stepped down from her RNC leadership role in February 2024 amid mounting pressure from fellow Republicans.
Her tenure faced criticism over the party’s electoral performance in recent cycles, particularly after the anticipated “red wave” failed to materialize during the 2022 midterm elections.
The DeVos-funded organization aims to shift Michigan’s political landscape in a more conservative direction.
McDaniel expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to build upon recent Republican gains in the state.
“President Trump’s historic victory last year showed that Michiganders are sick of extreme policies that have made our communities unsafe, our schools fail, and our state too expensive. I’m excited to work on expanding on that success and getting Michigan back on track,” McDaniel stated regarding her new position.
McDaniel’s political journey took an unexpected detour when NBC News hired her as an on-air contributor in March 2024.
The network recruited her shortly after her RNC departure, positioning her as a Republican voice for their programming.
Her debut appearance on “Meet the Press” sparked immediate controversy within NBC’s ranks.
Network employees voiced strong opposition to her hiring, citing concerns about her previous statements regarding the 2020 election results.
MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski publicly called on her employer to “reconsider its decision” to bring McDaniel aboard.
Her co-host Joe Scarborough expressed similar sentiments, stating he would have “strongly objected” to the hiring decision if consulted.
Chuck Todd, the former “Meet the Press” host, questioned McDaniel’s sincerity and called for NBC News executives to apologize to current host Kristen Welker.
Todd suggested McDaniel’s shifting viewpoints made her reliability as a contributor questionable, the Daily Caller highlighted.
The internal pressure proved decisive.
Just two days after McDaniel’s television debut, NBC News terminated her contract. NBCUniversal Group Chairman Cesar Conde issued an apology to staff members “who felt [the network] let them down” by hiring McDaniel.
President Trump, who initially supported McDaniel’s rise to RNC leadership in 2016, had pushed for her removal in early 2024.
During a February 4, 2024 interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, Trump indicated he believed “changes made” were necessary at the RNC.
McDaniel reportedly met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in February 2024 to inform him of her resignation plans.
This meeting came after months of escalating calls from Republicans for new leadership at the national committee.
The pressure for McDaniel’s departure intensified following disappointing Republican performance in successive election cycles.
Party members criticized the RNC’s strategy and execution under her leadership, particularly after failing to achieve expected gains.
Trump mocked McDaniel’s NBC departure in a March 26, 2024 Truth Social post, suggesting she was stuck in “never Neverland.”
President Trump’s historic victory last year showed that Michiganders are sick of extreme policies that have made our communities unsafe, our schools fail, and our state too expensive.
I'm excited to work on expanding on that success and getting Michigan back on track. https://t.co/Kw1r3DKbu0
— Ronna McDaniel (@RonnaMcDaniel) May 29, 2025
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