Trump campaign brings on Corey Lewandowski and other vets in staffing expansion
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Corey Lewandowski on July 14 in Milwaukee, Wi. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
The Trump campaign is bringing back a number of veterans, including former President Trump's 2016 campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, as the election enters its most pivotal stretch.
Why it matters: The Trump campaign this week has made a number of moves to try to counter the momentum surrounding Vice President Harris' campaign.
Driving the news: "As we head into the home stretch of this election, we are continuing to add to our impressive campaign team," Trump co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a statement.
- Politico first reported on the hiring and other moves.
- A Trump campaign official told Axios that Lewandowski will be brought on as a senior adviser.
- Alex Pfeiffer, former communications director for the Trump-aligned super PAC MAGA Inc., and Alex Bruesewitz, a longtime Trump ally, will both also join the campaign, Axios has confirmed.
- Tim Murtaugh, Trump's 2020 campaign communications director, is also joining the campaign.
What they're saying: "Corey Lewandowski, Taylor Budowich, Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Tim Murtaugh are all veterans of prior Trump campaigns and their unmatched experience will help President Trump prosecute the case against Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the most radical ticket in American history," Wiles and LaCivita said.
The big picture: Polling shows that Harris has closed the gap on Trump in battleground states, where Trump held wide leads over President Biden.
- In an apparent effort to disrupt her momentum, the Trump campaign this week has ramped up ad spending, participated in public appearances and posted on the social media platform X for the first time in almost a year.
- Trump later on Thursday is set to hold a press conference at his New Jersey golf club.
- Trump advisers have privately urged the former president to embrace a new stump speech that includes a more focused attack on Harris, Axios' Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei previously reported.
Between the lines: Lewandowski was removed as chair of a pro-Trump super PAC in 2021 after a donor accused him of making unwanted sexual advances and inappropriately touching her at a Las Vegas charity event over the weekend.
- He was charged with a misdemeanor but struck an agreement to have the charge dismissed in exchange for community service, a fine and an impulse training course.
