The Republican establishment likely would've ensured that Trump didn't receive the nomination again. Trump would've had a harder time keeping his base enthusiasm alive for four years if he wasn't actually president.
How would they do that? The Republican establishment has lost control over its base a long time ago. It's the base that selects the candidate for president. Trump might not have been the nominee in 2020 after a defeat in 2016, but it would have been some other guy on the staunch right.