Before Ronna Romney McDaniel took over as Republican National Committee chairwoman earlier this year, President Donald Trump had a request: Would she be willing to stop using her middle name publicly?
Trump followed up by saying in a lighthearted way that McDaniel, the niece of Mitt Romney, could do what she wanted, according to two people familiar with the comments. But the change was soon plain for all to see. Though she had used her maiden name for years in Michigan, where her grandfather had been governor, McDaniel dropped "Romney" from most official party communications and has rarely used it since.