Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski will not be prosecuted for assault of Michelle Fields

Two weeks after being charged with assaulting a female reporter, Donald Trump’s campaign manager Corey Lewandowski will not be prosecuted, the Florida state attorney’s office announced Thursday afternoon.

Lewandowski was charged with simple battery stemming from a March 8 incident involving Michelle Fields, then a reporter for Breitbart News, in the ballroom of the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla., following a press conference there. Surveillance footage released by police showed Lewandowski grabbing Fields — whom he previously said he “never met” and “never touched” — as she approached Trump to ask him a question.

“State prosecution relies upon a good faith basis that sufficient evidence exists to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt,” Palm Beach County State Attorney David Aronberg said at a news conference Thursday afternoon. “Although the facts support the allegation that Mr. Lewandowski did grab Miss Fields’ arm against her will, Mr. Lewandowski has a reasonable hypothesis of innocence. There’s insufficient evidence to rebut these defenses. Therefore, although probable cause exists, the state will ‘no’ file this case.

In a statement, the Trump campaign said Lewandowski is “gratified” by the decision.

“Corey Lewandowski is gratified by the decision to drop the misdemeanor charge and appreciates the thoughtful consideration and professionalism by the Palm Beach State Attorney and his staff who carefully reviewed this matter, as well as Mr. Trump’s loyalty and the support of his colleagues and family during this time,” the statement read. “The matter is now concluded.”

On Wednesday, after reports first surfaced that Lewandowski would not be prosecuted, Fields tweeted her dismay that the news had been leaked.

According to Fields, the prosecutor’s office recently asked if she would accept an apology from Lewandowski. She said she would, but she has yet to hear one.

While the criminal case has been dropped, Politico reported that Fields may still pursue a defamation case against Lewandowski — an avenue that Fox News host Greta Van Susteren urged Fields not to take.

“Anyone encouraging Michelle Fields to bring a civil law suit is not doing her a favor,” Van Susteren wrote in an open letter posted on her website. “She does not want to take the stand in a civil case, subject to rigorous cross examination, that is likely to be on television to discuss a case that the DA won’t prosecute because he does not believe the evidence shows assault. Yes, the burden of proof is less in a civil case, but she is just not going to win and it will be expensive and a heartache.”

Fields fired back.

“I think I’ll pass on getting legal advice from a Trump shill,” she tweeted. “Thanks.”

Trump walks with Lewandowski after a news conference in Dubuque, Iowa, in August. (Photo: Charlie Neibergall/AP)

Lewandowski turned himself in to police in Jupiter on March 29, entered a plea of not guilty and was released. His next court date had been scheduled for May 4.

A defiant Trump resisted calls to fire Lewandowski, saying the footage showed his manager had done nothing wrong.

“She’s not a baby,” Trump told Anderson Cooper during a CNN Republican town hall the same day. “She was grabbing me. Am I supposed to press charges against her?”

At one point, the blustery billionaire grabbed his arm in mock pain.

“Oh, my arm is hurting,” Trump said sarcastically. “Anderson, my arm is just killing me.”

The former reality show star said it would have been easy to fire Lewandowski, but he remains fiercely “loyal” to his top lieutenant.

“The problem is everybody dumps people when there’s a sign of political incorrectness,” Trump said. “It would be so easy for me to terminate this man, ruin his life, ruin his family — he’s got four beautiful children in New Hampshire — ruin his whole everything and say, ‘You’re fired.’”

Trump also questioned Fields’ alleged injuries.

“I don’t know those bruises were from that,” Trump said during an impromptu press conference before the town hall. “How do you know those bruises weren’t there before? I’m not a lawyer. She said she had a bruise on her arm. I mean, to me, if you’re going to get squeezed, wouldn’t you think you’d let out a scream?”

Lewandowski (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Lewandowski went as far as calling Fields “delusional.”

“I never touched you,” Lewandowski tweeted on March 11. “As a matter of fact, I have never even met you.”

Fields filed a police report the same day.

Days later, Fields and several of her colleagues resigned from Breitbart in protest, saying the conservative news site did not have her back following the incident.

“Today I informed the management at Breitbart News of my immediate resignation,” Fields said in a statement. “I do not believe Breitbart News has adequately stood by me during the events of the past week and because of that I believe it is now best for us to part ways.”

Donald Trump speaks with campaign manager Corey Lewandowski by his side during a news conference at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., on March 15. (Photo: Joe Skipper/Reuters)