Former president Donald Trump’s campaign is bringing on new staff — including his controversial 2016 campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski — as it continues to adjust to facing his new Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
In addition to Lewandowski, the campaign is adding Tim Murtaugh, the communications director from Trump’s 2020 campaign, as well as three former officials from a pro-Trump super PAC: Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz and Taylor Budowich.
“As we head into the home stretch of this election, we are continuing to add to our impressive campaign team,” Trump’s co-campaign managers, Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, said in a statement Thursday. The five hires, they added, “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.”
The hires were first reported by Politico.
Trump has been annoyed for weeks at the direction of his campaign, even though many of the major errors have been made by the candidate. He has called allies asking if he should replace anyone, The Washington Post has reported.
Some 2016 alumni have voiced dissatisfaction with Wiles and LaCivita, suspecting them of controlling access to the former president and excluding or impugning longtime loyalists such as contributors to the Project 2025 policy blueprint. LaCivita has dismissed those detractors as a distraction.
Trump has publicly stood by Wiles and LaCivita, telling the New York Times on Friday he was “thrilled” with them.
Lewandowski sought distance from Trump after 2020 and toyed with working with other Republicans but came back around as it was clear Trump was going to be the nominee, people who spoke with him said. They requested anonymity to share private conversations.
Lewandowski has been in and out of Trump’s orbit since serving as his first campaign manager in 2016. Trump fired Lewandowski as he entered the general election that year, months after Lewandowski was accused of assaulting a reporter at a campaign news conference in Florida.
Lewandowski became a political commentator, including for CNN, and later joined a pro-Trump super PAC while Trump was in the White House. He was removed from the super PAC in 2021 after a donor accused him of repeatedly groping her and making unwanted sexual comments at a charity event in Las Vegas.
Trump has increasingly spoken with Lewandowski in recent weeks to discuss his campaign, including staffing and strategy, according to a person familiar with the conversations. In the same period, Trump has been sounding out associates on his campaign leadership and the possibility of making changes or bringing on additional advisers.
Budowich comes to Trump’s campaign after leading MAGA Inc., the main pro-Trump super PAC in recent years. Pfeiffer was communications director for the super PAC.
Bruesewitz is known for his large following on X, where he regularly churns out posts promoting Trump and attacks his political opponents.
Josh Dawsey contributed to this report.
