A top adviser to Donald Trump has warned the Republican Party of severe consequences should they mistreat the leading GOP candidate or support developing efforts to take him down.
Trump’s special counsel, Michael Cohen, described a former Republican National Committee employee’s recent resolve to end the billionaire’s candidacy as a “bad bad decision” during an interview with CNN Tuesday.
“It changes everything,” Cohen told CNN’s Chris Cuomo.
Despite the anti-Trump effort being led by outside groups, Trump’s lawyer said the RNC will still be held responsible.
“They can say whatever they want, [but] Reince Priebus has an obligation to Donald Trump in order to treat him fairly, make sure the process treats him fairly, and if they don’t, this will be a very, very bad thing for the Republican Party,” Cohen said of the RNC chairman.
He continued, “Donald Trump wants to be treated fairly. He will demand that the GOP treat him fairly and … he will honor the pledge if they treat him fairly because he’s an honorable guy.
“[But] if they break that agreement with him, as they say, woe be on them,” Cohen said.
RNC spokeswoman Allison Moore pushed back Tuesday, saying the committee “will remain neutral in the primary process.”
“For any attorney to suggest the RNC can control how, or who supports or opposes particular candidates shows a basic misunderstanding of politics, free speech and the law,” Moore wrote in a statement emailed to the Washington Examiner.
Over the weekend, Trump hinted he is open to launching a third-party bid if he feels Republicans are ganging up on him.
“I will see what happens. I have to be treated fairly. If I’m treated fairly, I’m fine,” the real estate mogul told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos.
As of Tuesday, Trump also faces an effort to remove him from the Republican primary ballot in New Hampshire because his previous support of big government policies is “inconsistent” with conservative principles.
Trump, who’s first in the latest Washington Examiner’s presidential power rankings, is slated to arrive in South Carolina Tuesday evening for his latest campaign rally.
