SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

Trump fires national political director

Donald Trump has reportedly fired his national political director over a Republican fundraising deal that left out the state of Nevada.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump Source: AAP

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Skip to article content

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has fired his national political director after six weeks on the job, campaign sources say.

Trump told staffers and supporters gathered backstage before a campaign rally in California on Wednesday that political director Rick Wiley "should be fired" for his handling of a fundraising deal with the Republican National Committee, according to the sources.

The RNC fundraising agreement included 11 states but not Nevada, where Republicans in the state are angling for key victories in the November elections.

Three sources confirmed Trump said Wiley should be fired after Nevada Republican Party chairman Michael McDonald told Trump that Wiley was responsible for leaving Nevada out of the deal.

McDonald did not return calls seeking comment. Wiley did not respond to emails, text messages and phone calls seeking comment.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

The move is the latest in a tug of war between Trump's original campaign team, including press secretary Hope Hicks and campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, and a group of professionals he brought in later to shore up support from more traditional corners of the Republican Party.

The new arrivals, led by veteran strategist Paul Manafort, whom Trump hired in late March, have urged Trump to tone down some of his most provocative positions, such as his proposed ban on Muslims entering the US.

But Trump reprimanded Manafort, according to two sources familiar with the conversation, after Manafort told a gathering of RNC members at an April meeting in Florida that Trump was only "acting" when describing his proposed Muslim ban or his plan to build a wall along the US-Mexico border.

Manafort hired Wiley on April 13.

A statement issued by the Trump campaign said Wiley had been hired on a "short-term basis as a consultant until the campaign was running full steam" and it thanked him for "for helping us during this transition period".

Manafort did not responds to calls and emails seeking comment.


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world