Donald Trump, with his campaign in free fall and unable to make the pivot to the general election, has fired his longtime campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski.
This morning, the Trump campaign issued a statement to the media:
“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 campaign is grateful to Corey for his hard work and dedication and we wish him the best in the future.”
Translation: Thanks for everything, Corey. We couldn’t have done it without you. Now get the hell out and don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.
This latest drama comes amidst a growing furor within the Republican Party to not allow Trump to become the GOP nominee when the convention is held in July. Several top GOP strategists are devising methods and rule changes which would essentially unbind bound delegates, allowing them to vote for anyone they wish. Should that take place and the delegates not choose Trump, it could well split the party into a thousand pieces, leaving it weakened for years to come.
The New York Times is reporting that two senior advisers inside the Trump campaign have confirmed that Trump did indeed fire Lewandowski. He did not resign or step down of his own volition. The Times also noted:
“One person stressed that the move had been in the works for many weeks, particularly since it became clear that Mr. Trump would be the nominee. The person added said that the campaign is now focusing on bringing the party together, including hiring new staff members and adjusting to the race against Mrs. Clinton. And there had been a desire for many weeks to make changes ahead of the Republican National Convention, July 18-21 in Cleveland.”
Lewandowski’s formal successor as campaign manager will be longtime political operative Paul Manafort, who was brought aboard the Trump campaign in March. Manafort was originally in charge of planning for the GOP convention, but has taken on added duties in recent months.
No matter who winds up at the top of the heap within the Trump campaign apparatus, this much seems clear: the Trump for President bid is in a shambles.
Featured Image Via YouTube Screengrab
