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Corey Lewandowski: Donald Trump Privately Reduces The Role Of His Controversial Campaign Manager

By Nathan Francis
Published on: 05:43 PST, Apr 2, 2016

Corey Lewandowski has come under fire for his heavy-handed leadership of Donald Trump’s campaign, but amid public shows of support from the GOP front-runner there is evidence that Trump has quietly reduced his campaign manager’s role.

Lewandowski has been the center of a series of controversies during the Republican primary race, with allegations that he is overly physical in his role. The allegations have come to national attention this week when police in Jupiter, Florida, leveled a battery charge on Lewandowski for allegedly grabbing reporter Michelle Fields during a rally that took place there weeks earlier.

Police also released video showing Lewandowski appear to take hold of Fields and pull her backward as the reporter was trying to question Donald Trump after the rally. Though many have questioned the severity of Lewandowski’s alleged actions and whether a criminal charge was warranted, the video does appear to directly contradict Lewandowski’s previous statement that nothing happened and that he had never even met Fields. He also referred to her as “delusional” for making such a claim against him.

Now, it appears that Donald Trump is pushing Corey Lewandowski more to the fringes of his campaign. Politico has talked to sources close to the campaign who have noted that Trump has stripped away some of his powers, including giving up hiring power to a lower-ranking staffer and overruling Lewandowski’s decisions about issuing press credentials.

“The shift is, in part, a natural outgrowth of the campaign’s maturation. But according to sources close to the campaign, it’s also at least partly the result of long-simmering concerns among some members of Trump’s inner circle about Lewandowski’s lack of national experience, his perceived unwillingness to challenge Trump and his brash temperament.”

The source added that Donald Trump may have already prepared for Lewandowski to take on a smaller role, including naming Michael Glassner as deputy campaign manager, providing someone who could take Lewandowski’s place if he were fired.

That does not appear to be on the horizon, however, the source said.

“I’m not saying Corey’s going to be fired or anything because I don’t think he’s going to be, at least not at this juncture,” said a person involved in Trump’s campaign. “But Mr. Trump’s listening to other people now. The crew’s expanding. The inner circle is not what it used to be.”

But Corey Lewandowski has also attracted plenty of negative attention at a time when Trump’s campaign cannot afford such a setback. A series of other controversies — including a statement this week that he would punish women who get abortions if the procedure was outlawed and another statement showing support for Japan and South Korea developing nuclear weapons — have put a dent in the campaign and has led to sinking poll numbers. Trump now trails Ted Cruz by double-digit margins for next Tuesday’s Wisconsin primary.

Lewandowski’s actions have not helped. The Guardian published a long piece outlining his controversial behavior, including rough treatment of the press.

“Not least, it fits a pattern of low-level bullying-cum-violence that has become a feature of Trump rallies. The Red Bull-chugging Lewandowski has himself been reported as having physically manhandled protesters at campaign events, as well as showing a disdain for reporters and their public function that borders on thuggery. After Politico published a piece raising concerns about his conduct, the news site found one of its named reporters turned away at the door.”

“I have never heard of a campaign manager in politics getting involved in tugging, pulling, hitting demonstrators or reporters,” John Weaver, a former McCain adviser currently working for John Kasich, told the Guardian. “Maybe Lewandowski is confusing his job with professional wrestling, I don’t know, but I don’t think he’s doing any services to politics.”

But even if his role is being privately chopped, Corey Lewandowski remains one of the most important figures of Donald Trump’s campaign and still has the public support of the GOP front-runner.

[Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]

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