Donald Trump on Paul Manafort

Donald Trump on Trump Campaign Manager Paul Manafort

THEN
NOW


July 2016
2017 – 2018

Donald Trump on Paul Manafort Then
Donald Trump on Paul Manafort Now


#DonaldTrump 7/22/16: "Paul Manafort has done a fantastic ❲job❳. And all of Paul’s people Paul brought on the staff." » #Trump 7/15/18: "Manafort has nothing to do with our campaign." #2016election Click To Tweet

Donald Trump on Trump Campaign Manager Paul Manafort

THEN

July 2016

Trump On Manafort Then
“We’re really now in the final stretch – three and a half months. And Paul Manafort has done an amazing job… Paul Manafort has done a fantastic (inaudible). And all of Paul’s people Paul brought on the staff.”
- July 22, 2016

Republican Party nomination acceptance speech

CNN, July 22, 2016
1st Donald Trump Speech after Winning GOP Nomination

(retrieved 6/15/18)
starts at beginning

NOW

2017 -2018

Trump On Manafort Now
“Paul Manafort was replaced long before the election took place. He was only there for a short period of time.”
Feb 16, 2017 -

White House, Feb. 16, 2017
Remarks by President Trump in Press Conference

(retrieved 6/15/18)
starts at 1:03:43

“I haven’t spoken to him in a long time, but I know him. He was with the campaign, as you know, for a very short period of time, relatively short period of time.”
Aug 10, 2017 -

Washington Post, Aug. 11, 2017
Trump’s tough-on-North Korea, toned-down-on-Russia Q&A session, annotated

(retrieved 6/15/18)
starts at 2:31

He worked for me for a very short period of time – literally, for like, what? A couple of months? Little period of time.”
May 4, 2018 -
“Manafort has nothing to do with our campaign… He worked for me for what? Forty-nine days or something? A very short period of time.”
June 15, 2018 -

Washington Post, June 15, 2018
‘Very unfair!’: Trump complains about Manafort’s jailing on witness tampering allegations

(retrieved 6/15/18)
starts at 0:19

“He worked for me for a very short period of time, but you know what? He happens to be a very good person.”
Aug 17, 2018 -

White House, Aug. 17, 2018
Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure

(retrieved 8/18/18)
starts at 4:49


#DonaldTrump 7/22/16: "We’re really now in the final stretch…Manafort has done an amazing job." » #Trump 2/16/17: "Paul Manafort was replaced long before the election took place." #Manafort #2016election Click To Tweet


Context

Paul Manafort worked for the Trump campaign for almost 5 months (144 days), including for more than 4 months as the operational leader of the campaign, during which time Trump secured and accepted the Republican Party’s presidential nomination.

Manafort joined the Trump campaign on March 28, 2016, initially leading its delegate collection efforts.1New York Times, Mar 28, 2016
Donald Trump Hires Paul Manafort to Lead Delegate Effort
retrieved 6/15/18
He became the official Campaign Manager on June 20, 2016, replacing Corey Lewandowski who then said, “Paul Manafort has been in operational control of the campaign since April 7. That’s a fact.”2Associated Press, June 20, 2016
Trump fires his campaign manager in dramatic shake-up
retrieved 6/15/18

Manafort resigned under pressure from the Trump campaign on August 19, 2016, following a report from the New York Times that from 2007 to 2012 he was secretly paid $12.7 million by former Ukraine President Viktor F. Yanukovych’s pro-Russian political party.3New York Times, Aug 14, 2016
Secret Ledger in Ukraine Lists Cash for Donald Trump’s Campaign Chief
retrieved 6/15/18
4New York Times, Aug 19, 2016
Paul Manafort Quits Donald Trump’s Campaign After a Tumultuous Run
retrieved 6/15/18

Manafort was heavily involved with post-election staffing of the Trump administration, according to sources with knowledge of the transition process. One former campaign official said, “I think he’s weighing in on everything. I think he still talks to Trump every day.”5Daily Beast, Nov 30, 2016
Paul Manafort Is Back and Advising Donald Trump on Cabinet Picks
retrieved 6/15/18



“Paul Manafort has been in operational control of the campaign since April 7. That’s a fact.”

Corey Lewandowski, July 20, 20166Associated Press, June 20, 2016
Trump fires his campaign manager in dramatic shake-up
(retrieved 7/13/18)



“Paul brought a much-needed maturity to the Trump campaign when it needed an experienced political professional operative more than anything else. There was no semblance of a campaign structure, just a few, distraught, overworked people constantly barking into their phones. Paul immediately set up and staffed the political and communications operations necessary to take on the Clinton machine.”

Sean Spicer, July 13, 20187The Guardian, July 13, 2018
Sean Spicer contradicts Trump’s Manafort claims in new book
retrieved 7/13/18