Former President Donald Trump's control over the Republican National Committee (RNC) increased earlier this year after staunch ally Michael Whatley and daughter-in-law Lara Trump became its chair and co-chair.

Trump's hold grew tighter still this week after longtime critic Charlie Spies was ousted as RNC chief counsel. 

Trump slams Spies as a "RINO lawyer"

According to NBC News, sources within the RNC say Spies was "pushed out" just two months after becoming the RNC's top lawyer.

"Charlie approached RNC Chief of Staff, Chris LaCivita, about potential time commitment conflicts and it was agreed that, while we appreciate and value Charlie’s expertise and professionalism, he cannot do this role full time and still maintain the obligations to his law firm that he has spent years successfully building," a statement from RNC spokesperson Danielle Alvarez.

For his part, the former president celebrated Spies' departure in a post on Truth Social, writing, "Great news for the Republican Party. RINO lawyer Charlie Spies is out as Chief Counsel of the RNC. I wish him well!"

NBC News noted that Spies previously worked for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, someone Trump with whom fought a heated primary battle.

Spies had close ties to Jeb Bush and denied election fraud had taken place

What's more, Spies was an architect of the super PAC Right to Rise which was used in 2016 by former Florida Republican Gov. Jeb Bush.

NBC News recalled how in 2015 Spies filed a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint against the Trump Organization while working at Right to Rise.

Another point of contention between Trump and Spies is the former president's insistence that he lost the 2020 election due to voter fraud.

Spies has rejected this assertion, with NBC News noting that he pushed back on it while speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in 2021.

Sixty other staff members have left since March

"I may get booed off the stage for this, but I have to say that's simply not true. There is just zero evidence that's true," the network quoted him as saying.

Spies is not the only person to depart from the RNC since Whatley and Mrs. Trump took over, as Fox News reported in March that some sixty other figures have also left.

"The RNC today, it's not going to look the same next week. There's obviously going to be changes," RNC chief of staff and Trump campaign adviser Chris LaCivita told reporters.