Donald Trump has sent legal warnings to the three biggest fundraising entities for the Republican Party, ordering them to stop using his name and likeness on emails and merchandise, according to a new report.
Trump's lawyers sent the cease-and-desist letters on Friday to the Republican National Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, and National Republican Senate Committee, a Trump advisor told Politico.
'President Trump remains committed to the Republican Party and electing America First conservatives, but that doesn't give anyone - friend or foe - permission to use his likeness without explicit approval,' the advisor said.
It follows reports that Trump, who made a fortune licensing his personal brand, is furious his name is being used to help raise funds in support of Republicans who voted to impeach him last month.
Donald Trump, seen Friday, has ordered the top three GOP fundraisers to stop using his name and likeness in donation drives in fury over Republicans who voted to impeach him
Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel is seen above. Trump, who made a fourtune licensing his personal brand, wants the RNC to stop using his name
On Friday, the RNC had sent out two emails asking supporters to donate as a way to add their name to a 'thank you' card for Trump. The umbrella group supports GOP candidates across the country.
Rep. Tom Emmer chairs the RNCC, another group target with cease-and-desist letters
Trump has spurred fears of a GOP civil war after vowing revenge on the 17 Congressional Republicans who voted to impeach or convict him on a charge of inciting insurrection.
Trump called them all out by name during his Sunday appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference, telling the audience, 'Get rid of them all!'
Politico Playbook reported Friday that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has specifically asked Trump not to go after the 10 House Republicans who voted in favor of his second impeachment in January.
The ex-president's threat will likely lead to a series of MAGA-versus-moderate GOP primaries, and could cost McCarthy the chance to retake the House, which historically is in his grasp.
On Thursday Trump signaled that he's going to go forward with the so-called GOP civil war, as he issued another statement from Mar-a-Lago blasting Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Trump accused McConnell of blowing two elections in Georgia that cost Republicans the Senate majority.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has been pleading with Trump, asking him not to go after the 10 House Republicans who voted in favor of his impeachment
The two incumbent Republican candidates, Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, lost their run-off races on January 5 as Trump was attacking Georgia's state election officials and sending out a confused message to potential GOP voters on whether their votes would actually count.
Many GOP strategists blamed the losses on Trump's refusal to concede the presidential election.
McConnell had given Trump breathing room to air out his election grievances in the run-up to the run-offs, as he pushed the then-president to campaign for Perdue and Loeffler.
In his statement, Trump slammed McConnell for yielding to his caucus and supporting $600 checks for Americans, rather than the $2,000 Trump backed late in negotiations of the December COVID stimulus bill – and ripped a Senate GOP group for its Georgia effort.
'Even more stupidly, the National Republican Senatorial Committee spent millions of dollars on ineffective TV ads starring Mitch McConnell, the most unpopular politician in the country, who only won in Kentucky because President Trump endorsed him. He would have lost badly without this endorsement,' Trump claimed.
On Sunday, former President Donald Trump went after, by name, every Republican who was pro-impeachment during his appearance at CPAC in Orlando, Florida
At CPAC, Trump also went after McConnell - and every senator who voted for his conviction.
'The Democrats don't have grandstanders like Mitt Romney, Little Ben Sasse, Richard Burr, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Pat Toomey. And in the House, Tom Rice, South Carolina, Adam Kinzinger, Dan Newhouse, Anthony Gonzalez, that's another beauty. Fred Upton, Jaime Herrera Beutler, Peter Meijer, John Katko, David Valadao and of course, the warmonger, the person that loves seeing our troops fighting, Liz Cheney. How about that?' Trump said.
The ex-president floated that the only reason why McConnell still had a job was because of the Trump endorsement.
'My endorsement of Mitch McConnll, at his request ... brought him from one point down to 20 points up and he won his race,' Trump said.
Prior to McCarthy getting involved, GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, a top Trump ally, warned of the risks of a civil war in the party, and like McCarthy, flew to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump.
'Mitch McConnell working with Donald Trump did a hell of a job. They are now at each other's throat. I'm more worried about 2022 than I've ever been. I don't want to eat our own,' Graham cautioned.
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