Trump team drops challenges to six Arizona delegates after RNC confusion

Former President Donald Trump's presidential campaign dropped their attempt to replace six delegates in Arizona with alternates this week, after concerns arose that the delegates would initiate “unnecessary distractions” at the Republican convention next month.

John Findlay, who oversees the convention delegate selection, urged six alternative delegates to challenge six current delegates on Tuesday, because he was concerned they were not loyal to Trump, NBC News reported. But the campaign said on Thursday that it has since "cleared the air" with the delegates.

“As true MAGA patriots, [the alternate delegates] challenged several AZ delegates to the Republican National Convention to prevent unnecessary distractions from being organized during President Trump’s formal nomination,” Trump political director James Blair said in a post to X. “Given AZ delegation chair [Shelby] Busch’s public clearing of the air and commitment to following the campaign’s lead, we feel it is appropriate for the six to withdraw their challenges.”

The concern was over suspicion that members of the delegation would try to nominate former Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn to the vice presidency. Trump has not named his own choice for the vice presidency so far, but is expected to do so before or during the national convention.

The alternate delegates confirmed to NBC that they were approached by the campaign to challenge the sitting delegates, rather than the Arizona delegation or Arizona Republican Party, but did not state whether it was because of Flynn.

“This was not started by anyone in the Arizona delegation or of the alternates,” one of the alternate delegates who filed a challenge and requested anonymity told the outlet. “It was presented to us from someone on the Trump team, and we were helping the campaign.”

Busch, who is the Arizona delegation chair, also said she cleared the air with the Republican National Convention and Trump campaign, and had no plans to disrupt the nominating convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin next month.

“As a result of what has happened over the last few days, I have been in touch with the Trump Campaign and assured them neither me nor anyone I influence will participate in any disruption to the convention, including challenging the rules, platform, programming, or otherwise," Busch said in internal communication shared with NBC. "We had no intention to do so and absolutely will not.”

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.