Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Donald Trump AP/Press Association Images

Trump hires head of a right-wing website in latest campaign reshuffle

Paul Manafort, the Trump campaign chairman, has come under scrutiny for his links to the pro-Russia former president of Ukraine.

DONALD TRUMP ANNOUNCED today that he shaking up his senior campaign staff, appointing a conservative website executive and a pollster to head his team amid sinking poll numbers.

The Republican presidential nominee also announced that this week his campaign will launch TV ads for the first time.

Trump’s reluctance to buy TV spots has raised eyebrows as his unorthodox quest for the White House has run into trouble in recent weeks.

Stephen Bannon, executive chairman of the influential Breitbart News site, will serve as the campaign’s chief executive, the Trump campaign said in a statement.

Trump senior advisor Kellyanne Conway, a longtime Republican pollster, will become campaign manager.

Campaign 2016 Trump Aide Ukraine Paul Manafort Carolyn Kaster Carolyn Kaster

Paul Manafort, the Trump campaign chairman who in recent days has come under scrutiny for his links to the pro-Russia former president of Ukraine, will remain in his current role.

“I have known Steve and Kellyanne both for many years. They are extremely capable, highly qualified people who love to win and know how to win,” Trump said in the statement.

I believe we’re adding some of the best talents in politics, with the experience and expertise needed to defeat Hillary Clinton in November and continue to share my message and vision to Make America Great Again.

 ’Core four’ 

Bannon will oversee campaign staff and operations and “strategic oversight of major campaign initiatives,” the statement said.

Conway will focus on “messaging”, regularly travelling with Trump while also working closely with Manafort and Bannon, the statement said.

Campaign 2016 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

The campaign said the changes come amid what it called significant growth for the Trump candidacy, “with the first major TV ad buy of the general election slated to start later this week and with additional top-flight operatives joining the movement on a near-daily basis”.

Conway denied the staff changes constitute a shake-up.

“It’s an expansion at a busy time in the final stretch of the campaign,” she told The New York Times.

“We met as the ‘core four’ today,” she was quoted as saying, referring to herself, Bannon, Manafort and Manafort’s deputy, Rick Gates.

With 82 days to go until the election, Trump’s campaign has been listing badly following a recent series of gaffes that had even members of his own party begging him to reel in his brash remarks.

Trump’s denigration of the family of a fallen Muslim-American soldier was seen by many as a monumental campaign misstep and a turning point in the contentious 2016 presidential race.

According to a NBC News/Survey Monkey poll released Tuesday, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton holds a six-point lead over Trump, 43% to his 37%, with two minor party candidates securing a combined 15%

In June, Trump dumped his then-campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who had been credited with the real estate magnate’s initial breakthrough in the primaries.

But in the lead-up to the Republican Party convention, Lewandowski found himself sidelined by more experienced political operatives like Manafort.

Lewandowski had also attracted distracting controversy following a run-in with a Breitbart News reporter at a Trump rally who accused him of roughly grabbing her arm.

- © AFP, 2016

Read: Armed men abduct up to 16 people from popular tourist destination in Mexico

Read: Mexican drug lord ‘The Devil’ arrested just before plastic surgery>

Author
View 72 comments
Close
72 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David cotter
    Favourite David cotter
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 2:01 PM

    Bernie…Bernie come back ..we’re sorry don’t leave us with this muppit….

    103
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SFAnkleTapper
    Favourite SFAnkleTapper
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 2:10 PM

    @David cotter: if it was Bernie v Trump…then Trump would definitely win…. he’ll probably win anyway but Bernie would make it a certainty.

    50
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Corporate capitalism is killing us
    Favourite Corporate capitalism is killing us
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 2:17 PM

    @SFAnkleTapper: Trump would disagree with you. He’s on tape as saying Sanders would have beat him in 2016 and a lot of Trump voters would have voted for Sanders also.

    51
    See 9 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Benedict XVI
    Favourite Benedict XVI
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 2:23 PM

    @SFAnkleTapper: What on earth are you talking about? Every single recent poll has Bernie Sanders and Biden both beating Trump in a general election. Not even Fox News has Trump winning.

    https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SFAnkleTapper
    Favourite SFAnkleTapper
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 2:52 PM

    @Benedict XVI: would they be the same polls that had Hillary as a shoe in? Btw I’m no Trump supporter.

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SFAnkleTapper
    Favourite SFAnkleTapper
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 2:54 PM

    @Corporate capitalism is killing us: your actually using Trump as a basis for a credible story….

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Macus Mc Mahon
    Favourite Macus Mc Mahon
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 3:00 PM

    @SFAnkleTapper: Biden is a bumbling clown who needs to retire, check his gaffes on YouTube. Bernie would be far stronger them sleepy Joe.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David A. Murray
    Favourite David A. Murray
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 3:01 PM

    @SFAnkleTapper: Biden’s greatest strength is that it is Trump he is going to be running against. Trump makes Biden’s weaknesses less blatant and Biden is a clear contrast to the type of president Trump is. If it was Biden competing against any other candidate, then I wouldn’t bet on Biden. But with Trump anything is possible (both for Trump and against Trump).

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Morning Gus
    Favourite Morning Gus
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 4:14 PM

    @Benedict XVI: Don’t believe those polls and don’t be taking it too serious. You are most likely going to be disappointed when the results come in.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom Doyle
    Favourite Tom Doyle
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 5:00 PM

    @SFAnkleTapper: Even though it hurts me to say this,i agree with you in saying that Biden has a much better chance than Bernie.Where I won’t agree with you is dissing the polls that Benedict put up,Trump is not up against Hillary this time.Also,he’ll struggle in the Rust Belt..

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O'Keeffe
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 6:47 PM

    @Corporate capitalism is killing us: brilliant, Trump saying that was to try to further divide a very fractured democrat party not an actual acknowledgement that he could have lost.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute david lydon
    Favourite david lydon
    Report
    Apr 13th 2020, 7:09 AM

    @David cotter: Bernie is from Ireland? Or do you watch the West wing too much

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Patrick Paul
    Favourite Patrick Paul
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 3:15 PM

    I thought Democrats where bad when they selected Hillary Clinton as there presidential candidate 4 years but they’ve really outdone themselves this time round

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Shiels
    Favourite David Shiels
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 2:05 PM

    America always gets the politicians it deserves.

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin O' Brien
    Favourite Kevin O' Brien
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 2:17 PM

    @David Shiels: This is a recurring theme for you, am I right? For the record, I like Joe Biden. I would have preferred Bernie.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ale Ceaser
    Favourite Ale Ceaser
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 2:17 PM

    @David Shiels: Like us? Haughy, Cowan, Ahern, Adams etc.

    30
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Macus Mc Mahon
    Favourite Macus Mc Mahon
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 3:06 PM

    @Kevin O’ Brienhttps://youtu.be/-rUvUxynOgk

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin O' Brien
    Favourite Kevin O' Brien
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 5:46 PM

    @Macus Mc Mahon: ok

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Macus Mc Mahon
    Favourite Macus Mc Mahon
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 3:09 PM
    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kath Noonan
    Favourite Kath Noonan
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 6:06 PM

    Sanders making a habit of giving up. His voters must be p*ssed off at this.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gerald OBrien
    Favourite Gerald OBrien
    Report
    Apr 12th 2020, 11:14 PM

    The only way Biden will win is if he has a decent vice president nomination or if the trump brigade give up on their chosen one. Biden has completely lost the left and continues to put his foot in it further.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark Reid
    Favourite Mark Reid
    Report
    Apr 13th 2020, 1:22 AM

    @Gerald OBrien the left have lost themselves

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds