I don't see how the RNC can afford not to give Donald the nomination when he decides to run again.
If they don't, the best they can hope for is that he'll run as an independent, split the GOP vote by drawing away the "batguano crazy" base, and Biden cruises into a second term.
Their worse case scenario is as above, with the extra added bonus of Donald's followers going on another rampage... this time directed at the RNC.
Yup. This.
They HAVE to let him run or forfeit the election on account of a split party.
However, He already lost that election two years ago... by as much as he won it himself 4 years prior.
NOTHING has made anyone that didn't vote for him in the past now wish to vote for him. He has only lost more votes, not gained any.
The RNC has only one way to possibly take the presidency in 2024; They have to assassinate Donald Trump, pin it on Russia or some vocally democratic retired FBI agent, and put forward a populist candidate that acts and sounds just like Trump, but with some "twist" of personality that makes him at least slightly less repulsive to at least a few key districts.