Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort has resigned from his position after being sidelined in a shakeup that brought in a new chief executive officer and a new manager for the campaign on Wednesday.
Mr. Manafort is a professional election manager and lobbyist and his monetary dealings with pro-Russia political groups in Ukraine had put him at the centre of a controversy recently. “This morning, Paul Manafort offered, and I accepted, his resignation from the campaign,” Mr. Trump said in a statement.
“I am very appreciative for his great work in helping to get us where we are today.” Mr. Manafort’s differences with the previous campaign manager Corey Lewandowski had led to the latter’s exit earlier, and the Trump campaign will now be led by an entirely new leadership, with Stephen Bannon as chief executive and Kellyanne Conway as campaign manager.
The appointment of Mr. Bannon –who heads the ultra nationalist and pro-Trump website Breitbart – was widely construed as a signal that Mr. Trump has no intention of amending his campaign narrative that targets Muslims and immigrants. However, Mr. Trump’s unexpected expression of regrets on Thursday for his earlier remarks—he did not specify which ones—has confused observers on the possible future course of the campaign.
“Sometimes in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues you don’t choose the right words or you say the wrong thing. I have done that. And believe it or not, I regret it. And I do regret it, particularly where it may have caused personal pain. Too much is at stake for us to be consumed by these issues, but one thing I can promise you is this… I speak the truth for all of you, and for everyone in this country who doesn’t have a voice,” Mr. Trump said, reading from a teleprompter.
He has only read from prepared drafts this week, in a departure from his usual practice of impromptu speeches. Many times in the past, he has refused to express regrets for anything that he said. Meanwhile, a Pew survey results released Thursday indicates a closer race than shown in several polls earlier in the month. Hillary Clinton leads 41 per cent to 37 per cent over Mr. Trump, according to the poll.
