Lewandowski says turmoil in White House communications staff is partly because Trump is too ‘articulate’
President Trump’s former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski says reported difficulties in the White House media operation are the result of Trump’s exceptional communications skills, which make it hard for his staff to keep up with him. Lewandowski’s comments followed the announcement that Mike Dubke, Trump’s director of communications, was resigning after a few months on the job.
“I think Mike was brought into a job not having a pre-existing relationship with the president,” Lewandowski said on “Fox & Friends” Wednesday. “And you know when you have a president who is so active, who is so articulate, who is so good at communicating with the media, sometimes you get staff that have to keep up with him. And it’s much easier, I think, if you have people who have a pre-existing relationship with him.”
It has been speculated that Lewandowski may be joining his former boss in the Oval Office soon. Last week, Reuters reported that Trump’s advisers are “planning to establish a ‘war room’ to combat mounting questions about communications between Russia and his presidential campaign before and after November’s presidential election.”
The group will reportedly include Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner; White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, chief of staff Reince Priebus and Lewandowski, who could join the administration as early as this week.
“If they want me to be helpful on the inside, I’d be willing to consider that,” Lewandowski said on “Fox & Friends.” “But the most important thing is you have to have people who surround the president who are on his agenda.”
He added: “You know, I’ve been very clear — I want to make sure this president’s agenda gets done, which is tax reform and health care reform and building a wall on our Southern border, and all of the things that he pledged during the campaign.”
Lewandowski served as Trump’s campaign manager until June 2016, when he was fired by Trump and replaced by campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Lewandowski was then tapped by CNN as a political analyst and Trump surrogate — a hire that was criticized by many because Lewandowski was reportedly still being paid by the Trump campaign.
Following Trump’s election, Lewandowski and former Trump adviser Barry Bennett launched Avenue Strategies, a Washington, D.C.-based political consulting firm that reportedly offered “relatively unimpeded access” to President Trump.
Lewandowski exited the firm in May after a liberal ethics group said he had “engaged in unregistered lobbying and selling access to the Oval Office.”
Lewandowski denied the allegations.
“The most important thing is my reputation, and I’ve worked really hard in the face of adversity to try to be successful,” Lewandowski told Bloomberg News, adding: “I know I have a giant target on my back. People want to see me fail.”
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