Report: Trump operative reached David French's wife's family, warned them that his run would be "difficult"

It was enough, apparently, to spook the Trump campaign. Sources say that on Wednesday, influential supporters of the campaign, prompted by the campaign itself, began reaching out to the Republican National Committee, to Kristol, and to French, attempting to quash the bid. One Trump operative reached French’s wife’s family in Tennessee and told them, according to French, that he was “instructed to call and deliver a message that the race would be very difficult for me.”

“It was a pretty big assault that really put pressure on David that this not happen,” says a source familiar with the communications.