Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has just turned into a thunderdome, as his newest hire seems to spell trouble for his current staff, according to a report from Puck News published Thursday.
Corey Lewandowski, who served as one of Trump’s campaign managers in 2016, was brought aboard the Trump team earlier this week, carrying with him a history of alleged misconduct and his “ Let Trump Be Trump ” attitude. Lewandowski will serve as a senior adviser, reportedly above campaign co-managers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles.
The decision to formally bring Lewandowski back into the fold, after he served as an informal adviser, came straight from Trump, according to Puck’s senior political correspondent Tara Palmeri. The move has launched speculation that Trump intends for Lewandowski’s return to result in the removal of LaCivita and Wiles.
“Susie is a survivor; she’s not going anywhere. But then you have LaCivita and Corey Lewandowski, two alpha men,” a source close to Lewandowski told Palameri. “It’s like Trump just wants them to kill each other and for one to win so he doesn’t have to actually fire anyone.”
As Trump’s team has struggled to maintain an effective line of attack against its new opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, the campaign has been forced to defend LaCivita and Wiles for their floundering efforts.
There is also one big reason to believe LaCivita is more vulnerable than his counterpart: his exorbitant fee. Advanced Strategies, LaCivita’s firm, has been collecting $50,000 from the Republican National Committee each month, contributing to the whopping $1.7 million he’s already invoiced in just 2024—quickly surpassing the $1.65 million he billed the year before, according to Puck.
Trump is clearly trying to recreate the behind-the-scenes magic that got him elected in the first place. But unfortunately for his staff, that involved major late-campaign turnover. The former president fired Lewandowski from his campaign in June 2016 and promoted Paul Manafort.
For his part, Lewandowski seemed to deny rumors he would take LaCivita to task over his mounting bills. “I have never told anyone I will be conducting a forensic audit of the campaign, nor have I alluded to, or have any understanding of, how much money Chris LaCivita may or may not have billed this campaign,” Lewandowski told Palameri, adding that rumors he was there to push anyone out were “fake news.”
Lewandowski’s arrival comes with a slate of other aides from old Trump campaigns, and more are sure to follow. “There are things and people that swirl around Lewandowski, and if you bring him back on, they’re coming with him,” the source close to Lewandowski told Palameri. “He’s a mini tornado. He stirs things up and brings things into the orbit.”
Lewandowski’s hiring signals Trump’s desire to be surrounded by those who agree with him and won’t try to change him—while many of the former president’s own allies have begun urging him to do the exact opposite of his favored strategy of personal attacks.
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