Brad Parscale Removed As Campaign Manager For Donald Trump’s 2020 Reelection Team
President Donald Trump just made a significant change to his reelection campaign team just four months before election day. As of Wednesday evening, Brad Parscale has been moved out of the campaign manager position, and Bill Stepien will step into the role.
According to The New York Times, Parscale is not leaving the Trump reelection team entirely. Instead of working as the campaign manager, he will be shifted over to be a senior adviser for digital and data operations. Stepien was the deputy campaign manager up to this point and is an established GOP operative.
“Brad and Bill were both unsung heroes of the 2016 campaign and have done a great job building the infrastructure for the president’s campaign for the 2020 race. Together they both bring unique strengths,” said senior adviser, and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner in confirming the change.
Speculation regarding Parscale’s position with the Trump 2020 reelection campaign had been swirling for the past few weeks. Trump’s recent rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, did not go as well as Parscale and others had anticipated. The president was reportedly furious and looking to hold someone responsible, and many suspected that his ire would be directed toward Parscale.
Parscale was named as the campaign manager for Trump’s reelection team in February 2018. He had been close to the Trump family for some time prior to that and was reportedly handpicked by Kushner for the reelection campaign manager role. He had also been involved in the president’s initial 2016 run.
The president addressed the staffing change via his Facebook page Wednesday evening.
“[Stepien and Parscale] were heavily involved in our historic 2016 win, and I look forward to having a big and very important second win together. This one should be a lot easier as our poll numbers are rising fast, the economy is getting better, vaccines and therapeutics will soon be on the way, and Americans want safe streets and communities!” Trump wrote.
The formal decision to change Parscale’s role with the reelection campaign came on the heels of new polling that signals more trouble for Trump.
New numbers from a Quinnipiac University poll revealed that presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden had opened up a massive 15-point national lead over Trump. The poll showed that 52 percent of those who responded would vote for Biden, versus just 37 percent for Trump.
Fox News noted that the campaign had already made a couple of other changes a few weeks ago. Rally organizer Michael Glassner was moved out of his role, while Jeff DeWit — who had been involved in the 2016 campaign — was brought on as the chief operating officer.
Whether moving Parscale out of his campaign manager role will provide a much-needed jolt to the Trump 2020 reelection efforts will be seen in the days and weeks ahead.
