Politics

Lewandowski: President Trump Drowning In The Deep State

Fox News screenshot

David Krayden Ottawa Bureau Chief
Font Size:

President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said the president is surrounded by hostile forces and insincere staff who do not have his best interest at heart, during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”

“The attacks that this president has faced since the day he won the election … have been unprecedented. And those attacks have come from the media, from the Republican establishment who have never supported candidate Trump and still, by and large, don’t support Donald Trump … and the intelligence community,” Lewandowski told Fox News’ Chris Wallace.

Former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski (C) says hello to reporters as he and White House advisors Sebastian Gorka (from L), Omarosa Manigault and Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci accompany President Trump for an event celebrating veterans at AMVETS Post 44 in Struthers, Ohio, U.S., July 25, 2017. Jonathan Ernst: "The most visible person in any White House is naturally the President, followed by the press secretary. But there are also the staff who support them, any one of whom might suddenly jump into public view and be national news for a day or two. For those of us covering the President Trump administration, there seem to be more compelling figures in the West Wing than ever before. It's crucial to know who's who and why they're important. When I raised my camera and back-pedalled ahead of the group to take this image Lewandowski gave me a hello and pointed right into the lens. I liked the photo, but had no idea it would go a little bit viral, especially since Scaramucci, who was the biggest mover and shaker that week, was hidden back in the pack. But I guess the image catches a glimpse of what it's like to be a West Wing staffer on the road." REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

Former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski (C) says hello to reporters as he and White House advisors Sebastian Gorka (from L), Omarosa Manigault and Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci accompany President Trump for an event celebrating veterans at AMVETS Post 44 in Struthers, Ohio, U.S., July 25, 2017. REUTERS PHOTO by Jonathan Ernst

Lewandowski co-authored  “Trump’s Enemies: How the Deep State Is Undermining the Presidency” with former deputy campaign manager David Bossie, which is slated for release on Tuesday. Lewandowski said Trump’s greatest threat comes from the intelligence community, which has systematically undermined his presidency because they “simply disagree with [Trump’s] political philosophy.” Lewandrowski calls that “a very scary thing.” (RELATED: Corey Lewandowski Outsmarts Sacha Baron Cohen Prank)

Lewandowksi is also especially critical of people who were critical of Trump before he was president only to experience a Damascus road conversion when Trump won. “Many people who fought to get into the White House are the same people who did everything they could do to try to stop [Trump] from being in the White House.”

The former campaign manager was equivocal in his assessment of Trump’s chief of staff, John Kelly.

LA MALBAIE , QC – JUNE 09: US President Donald Trump (C) leaves with Chief of Staff John Kelly (L) and National Security Advisor John Bolton (R) after holding a press conference ahead of his early departure from the G7 Summit on June 9, 2018 in La Malbaie, Canada. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

“The management style that John implemented when he became the chief of staff was one where to limit the access to the president, to make sure that there are protocols and procedures,” Lewandowski said.  “Candidly, that was needed when he came into the White House. But I also think you have a president who wants access to individuals who wants to take phone calls. And in our book we interview him and he says, ‘Nobody calls me; I don’t get my messages.'” (RELATED: Kelly Sees ‘Concerted Effort’ To Oust Him As Nielsen Likely Headed For Exit)

Lewandowski took offense when Kelly insisted that both he and Bossie be escorted at all times when they came to the White House to interview staff and conduct research for their book. He would not comment on reports that he and Kelly engaged in a shouting and shoving match in February of this year, saying only that the two of them “have very different management styles.”

Follow David on Twitter