Trump appoints a new campaign manager as he slides further in the polls.
President Donald Trump has shaken up his campaign staff after much speculation following disastrous rallies. Trump announced that he is promoting Bill Stepien to be his campaign manager. Former campaign manager Brad Parscale, who had been serving in that role will being staying on as an Senior Advisor.
...campaign. Both 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...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2020
...be on the way, and Americans want safe streets and communities!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2020
The announcement comes on the same day that two national polls showed the President trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden by double digits, according to CNN.
CNN reported that Parscale's future had been in serious doubt for weeks. In addition to the President's lagging poll numbers Trump was furious after a much-hyped return to the campaign trail fell flat at the end of June. A planned rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, fell well short of expectations after Parscale predicted massive crowds, not only inside the 19,000-seat arena but outside as well.
Parscale was widely criticized for capitalizing financially while Trump's campaign failed. It was reported last year that Parscale spent big after his promotion from digital media manager to campaing manager. He bought a $2.4 million waterfront mansion in Fort Lauderdale, a $78,300 BMW, and a $146,000 Range Rover, according to the Daily Mail. This was just months after Parscale and his wife had spent $2 million on condos in the Fort Lauderdale area.
Apparently there *is* a limit to how much you can grift in this administration (and it's a waterfront mansion, a pair of condos, a yacht and a Ferrari).
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) July 16, 2020
According to Politico, Stepien is a longtime Trump adviser. After joining the president’s campaign in the summer of 2016, he went on to become White House political director. After the 2018 midterms, he left the White House to join the reelection effort as a consultant. He was recently promoted to deputy campaign manager, a move intended to bolster Parscale amid the campaign’s struggles.
Prior to joining Trump’s orbit, Stepien served as a top political adviser to ex-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who cut Stepien loose after another Christie aide testified that he told Stepien about the "Bridgegate" scheme to snarl traffic in Fort Lee, N.J. as political retribution against the mayor. Stepien has denied knowing about the plan and was not charged with a crime.
