'Stick to politics!': Internet divided as Nikki Haley accuses Donald Trump of plotting to use RNC as 'piggy bank' for rising legal costs

WASHINGTON, DC: Nikki Haley, a former governor of South Carolina, accused Donald Trump of plotting to use the Republican National Committee to finance his extravagant legal fees. On Friday, February 18, 2024, the former president's legal expenses skyrocketed when a court slapped him with a $355 million judgment in his New York civil fraud lawsuit.

"I don’t want the RNC to become his legal defense fund. I don’t want the RNC to become his piggy bank for his personal court cases. We’ve already seen him spend $50 million worth of campaign contributions towards his personal court cases," Haley informed CNN host Kaitlan Collins.

Nikki Haley slams Donald Trump for seeking to use RNC as 'piggy bank'

Haley's remarks were made just hours after Judge Arthur Engoron found that Trump had lied about and artificially inflated his wealth for years to secure favorable lending conditions for his businesses. Judge Engoron had also handed down an eye-watering $355 million fine and barred him from holding any position as an officer or director of any company based in New York for three years.

Politico said on Wednesday, February 14, that senior RNC officials voiced concerns before the decision was made that Trump is planning to seize control of the committee to use its resources to cover his mounting legal bills. On Friday, Haley made the same accusation, saying the front-runner for the GOP was trying to get control of the committee "so that he can continue not to pay his legal fees."

The former president backed Michael Whatley, the chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and a devoted follower, to succeed Ronna McDaniel, who has headed the GOP since 2017. This move was made to maintain his hold on the RNC.

McDaniel, who has been criticized by the front-runner of the Republican Party for her alleged insufficient fundraising efforts and the party's previous election outcomes, is predicted to resign following the South Carolina primary on February 24.

Internet divided by Nikki Haley's accusation

People had mixed reactions on the internet after Nikki Haley accused Donald Trump of plotting to use the RNC as a 'piggy bank' for rising legal costs. A user on X wrote, "The RNC shouldn't be a family affair - stick to politics!", while one said, "The cases against Trump are election interference."

Another user wrote, "I guess Trump is taking the phrase "family business" a bit too literally!" whereas one added, "Two lawsuits so far and he already needs to pay over 400 million Dollar... I wonder how many Republicans want to keep paying for his transgressions."

Another person mentioned, "As a Republican who supports Trump, I firmly believe that the RNC should cover his legal expenses. These legal cases not only serve as a platform to expose the corruption within the government but also bolster Trump's chances of winning future elections."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.