US President Donald Trump announced Thursday July 16, that he is replacing campaign manager Brad Parscale with longtime political aide Bill Stepien after new polls show him trailing Joe Biden in the presidential race amid a spreading Coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice that has devastated the economy.
Trump’s campaign shake-up comes as the Trump campaign struggles to find its footing after national health, economic and racial justice crises have upset the dynamics and put Biden as favorite.
Recent polls in key swing states such as Arizona, Michigan and Florida have consistently shown Trump losing to Biden, the former vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee.
The president wrote on his Twitter that Parscale, “who has been with me for a long time,” will stay as a senior adviser focusing on digital and data strategies.
According to reports, Parscale has been marginalized in the campaign for some weeks, with Trump angry about a botched rally in Oklahoma, where far fewer people attended than expected.
Stepien was the field director for the 2016 campaign and has worked for Trump since the election. He’s known for a low-key style and his knowledge of battleground states. He was formerly a top aide to Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey.
