Today, Donald Trump took a major step toward dispelling fears that his dedication to the GOP may be fleeting.
After a meeting with RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, Trump held a public press conference and signed a loyalty pledge to the party. Under the pledge, he promised to support the Republican party’s eventual nominee, and not run as a third party candidate.
Watch:
From CNN:
“The best way for the Republicans to win is if I win the nomination and go directly against whoever they happen to put up. And for that reason, I have signed the pledge,” Trump said, holding up the paper. “So I will be totally pledging my allegiance to the Republican Party and for the conservative principles for which it stands.”He added: “We will go out and fight hard, and we will win.”…Trump explained Thursday that he came to the decision to sign the pledge because the Republican Party in recent months has been “extremely fair” to him.”The RNC has been absolutely terrific over the last two month period and as you know, that’s what I’ve wanted,” Trump said. “I don’t want to be treated any differently.”Asked what he got in return for signing the paper, Trump responded: “assurance that I will be treated fairly.”
But what’s this? Could it be that the first pledge was…procedurally invalid?
Nah—but he did sign a fresh one with the correct date:
All joking aside, Trump played this one well. His press conference, which took place on his home turf at Trump Tower, looked more like a rally than a roundup. He has fielded some criticism—as has the RNC at large for the existence of a loyalty pledge—but by signing on to the GOP ticket while surrounded by his enthusiastic fan base, Trump ensured that he would be the one controlling the narrative coming out of the announcement.
Other GOP candidates like Jeb Bush and Rand Paul have committed to supporting the nominee, but their loyalty was expected, while Trump’s has been called into question before—and may still be.
For now, it doesn’t look like those loyal to the GOP are willing to let it go:
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