Donald Trump to Campaign Manager: ‘You’re Fired’
Republicans who have bristled at incendiary comments from their party’s presidential nominee-in-waiting, Donald Trump, may have just gotten a sign that things will be turning around soon.
Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks released a statement Monday morning that stated campaign manager Corey Lewandowski was no longer employed by the businessman. The New York Times first reported the news, which has now been confirmed.
“The Donald J. Trump Campaign for President, which has set a historic record in the Republican primary having received almost 14 million votes, has today announced that Corey Lewandowski will no longer be working with the campaign,” the short statement reads.
The release didn’t include any comments from Lewandowski, and it did not include any comments from Trump. The beleaguered manager, whom the candidate had defended following accusations that he assaulted a woman journalist, is likely subject to a strict non-disclosure agreement, according to past Trump campaign employees.
Lewandowski ran a tight campaign that operated on a shoestring budget and relied more on “shock and awe” than grass-roots mobilization and fundraising, which have been two concerns of the Republican Party establishment since it became clear Trump would be the party’s nominee. Trump has brought in several establishment-backed advisers in the past few weeks, many of whom have encouraged the businessman to tone down his rhetoric.
Paul Manafort is likely to fully embrace the campaign’s leadership role. He has been openly telling Republicans that Trump’s tone would change, even as the candidate has said he won’t, and has also reportedly urged the campaign to hire more staff.
Lewandowski still has at least one more function to perform this election cycle. He will attend the Republican National Convention next month as chairman of the delegation from his home state of New Hampshire.
