Former President Trump backed down on his campaign to starve the Republican Party of cash when the RNC stood up to him and GOP elected officials dismissed his empty hyperbole as weak and meaningless. Kudos to the RNC.

FNC: “Former President Donald Trump is trying to squeeze money away from three of the most integral fundraising and electoral organizations in Republican politics as he aims to ensure Republican donors’ money doesn’t go to candidates who are disloyal to him. The former president over the weekend sent cease-and-desist letters to the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and the Republican National Committee (RNC) demanding that they stop using his name and likeness to raise money, Politico first reported. The RNC was the first to publicly respond on Monday. RNC Chief Counsel J. Justin Riemer said in a letter to the counsel for Trump’s Save America PAC that it will not stop using Trump in its fundraising pitches.”

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“Like President Trump, the RNC remains focused on electing Republican candidates and advancing conservative policies,” the letter said. “The RNC, of course, has every right to refer to public figures as it engages in core, First Amendment political speech, and it will continue to do so in pursuit of these common goals.”

Trump previously said, “No more money for RINOS. They do nothing but hurt the Republican Party and our great voting base—they will never lead us to Greatness,” exhorting donors to give their money to his Save America PAC instead of to the Republican Party. “We will bring it all back stronger than ever before.” As usual, it’s all about him. Not the nation or the party, him.

In fact, during his speech at CPAC, he said “there’s only one way to contribute to our efforts to elect America First Republican conservatives and in turn to Make America Great Again, and that’s through” the Save America PAC.

But Trump cravenly backed down soon after,  subsequent to the RNC response. “I fully support the Republican Party and important GOP Committees…” The message is clear, standing up to Trump works, as he surrenders when his intimidation tactics don’t work.

Trump’s cheap bully boy routine makes the job of beating Democrats more difficult for Republican Party leaders like Senator Rick Scott of Florida. “Some of you voted for President Trump enthusiastically, some with reservations, and some with great reluctance,” Scott said in a memo. “It doesn’t matter. We got 74 million votes, and we can easily add to our numbers if we work together.”  Under Trump, Republicans lost control of both the House and the Senate.

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-CA, told The Hill “no” when asked if he was worried Trump could cut off GOP organizations like the NRCC from cash ahead of 2022. McCarthy is once again on the correct side of the question.