Donald Trump drops campaign manager
June 20, 2016
Corey Lewandowski, the campaign manager for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, has been fired following reports of disagreement and infighting.
Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks confirmed the reports on Monday, saying "Lewandowski will no longer be working with the campaign."
"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," Hicks' statement read.
Trump's team did not specify the terms of Lewandowski's departure.
A close ally
Lewandowski has long been seen as a controversial figure in Trump's campaign but has benefitted from his proximity to the presumptive Republican nominee, traveling with Trump to nearly every campaign stop.
Lewandowski attracted some controversy earlier this year over a run-in with a reporter at a Trump rally in March. Journalist Michelle Fields accused him of roughly grabbing her and leaving bruises, charges Lewandowski denied.
Throughout his time as campaign manager, Lewandowski dismissed the idea that Trump needed to hire more experienced staff to help with his bid, and endorsed Trump's divisive rhetoric - despite calls among Republicans for more moderation.
Lewandowski led the campaign from the beginning and was credited with Trump's initial success in the primaries. More recently, however, he appeared to have been sidelined, with more experienced political operatives starting to take over in the run-up to the November 8 vote.
The 70-year-old presidential candidate has recently taken a hit in the national polls; sources within his campaign said he was looking to make changes ahead of the GOP national convention in mid-July.
ss/cmk (AP, AFP)