Republican National Committee (RNC) co-chair Lara Trump said that the RNC is not paying legal bills on behalf of her father-in-law Donald Trump.

"That's very cute," Lara Trump told Fox host Martha MacCallum in response to comments from DNC chairman Jaime Harrison.

RNC not paying legal bills

President Trump's legal cases have become an enormous hindrance to his presidential campaign, leaving some RNC members open to the idea of supporting Trump with party funds.

In addition to the staggering cost of his legal defense, President Trump has been ordered to pay roughly half a billion dollars in civil judgments.

As Trump and many Republicans see it, his various civil and criminal cases are part of a targeted effort to quash Trump's candidacy with lawfare, so covering Trump's legal bills should not be off limits.

Still, Lara Trump has faced backlash for previously suggesting that "every single penny" would go toward re-electing her father-in-law.

During an interview Thursday with Fox News' The Story, Lara Trump said the RNC is "not paying any legal bills."

She had been asked for her reaction to Democrat Jaime Harrison, who claimed the RNC is running out of money to pay for down ballot races because of Donald Trump's legal expenses.

“That’s very cute,” Lara Trump responded. “We’re not paying any legal bills from the RNC.”

Trump's fundraising power

Trump challenged Democrats to "sit back and watch" as the RNC ramps up its fundraising.

"One of the things that’s changing is going to be our fundraising. So they can sit back and watch and I can promise you we are paying attention, not just to the top of the ballot, but all of the down ballot races as well," she said.

A proposal from within the RNC to block spending on Trump's legal bills was recently shot down.

Some RNC members argue that the party owes a debt to Trump and his fundraising prowess.

“The only funds the RNC will have (above keeping the lights on and hopefully making payroll) will come from the amazing efforts of Trump to raise money,” RNC member Paul Reynolds told CNBC.

“So the new money coming into the RNC will be due to the efforts of Trump and the Trump organization (not the current cash-strapped RNC),” Reynolds added.

“What then is my basis/argument for not paying Trump’s legal expenses when it is money the Trump organization is bringing to the table?” he asked.