Donald Trump’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort resigned on Friday, barely two days after the Republican presidential nominee announced a shake-up inducting Stephen Bannon as his new campaign CEO.
Manafort had also become a subject of close media scrutiny following revelations earlier this week that the previous pro-Russian regime in Ukraine had “designated” $12.7 million in undisclosed cash payments for him during a five-year period ending 2012.
Although Trump had announced retention of Manafort as chairman and chief strategist, his overall role was reckoned to have become somewhat marginal with the hiring of Bannon and elevation of Kellyanne Conway as campaign manager.
While accepting the resignation, Trump lauded Manafort’s work. Calling him “a true professional”, Trump said in a statement: “I am very appreciative for his great work in helping to get us where we are today, and in particular his work guiding us through the delegate and convention process.”
But Trump’s younger son, Eric, is reported to have commented in an interview that his father was worried that reports about Manafort were proving to be a distraction for his campaign.
“I think my father didn’t want to be, you know, distracted by whatever things Paul was dealing with,” Eric Trump said in an interview to Fox News that is to be aired on Sunday.