WASHINGTON — (CNN) Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski on Monday continued to heap praise on the presumptive Republican nominee and his campaign and insisted he will continue to support the billionaire, just hours after Trump fired him amid internal power struggles.
Lewandowski insisted Monday that he has “no regrets” and told CNN’s Dana Bash in the interview that he told Trump “it’s been an honor and a privilege” to help steer him to victory in the Republican primaries.
He said he will do “everything” he can to make sure Trump is elected president, whether from the “inside” or the “outside” of the campaign. Lewandowski said he will still chair the New Hampshire delegation to the Republican National Committee’s summer convention where Trump is set to officially become the GOP nominee.
Lewandowski downplayed reports that internal power struggles led to his ouster, heaped praise on those — including Trump’s children and campaign chairman Paul Manafort — who urged Trump to fire him, according to multiple sources who spoke with CNN earlier Monday.
Instead, Lewandowski chalked up his departure to the need for the campaign to evolve as it moves past the lean operation that helped Trump win the primary into an organization that can compete with what Lewandowski called Hillary Clinton’s “very well-funded campaign.”
Lewandowski did push back on accusations by sources who told CNN that he would reinforce the candidate’s worst instincts.
“Why would I want to do anything other than what’s in the very best interest of his campaign,” Lewandowski said.
And while Lewandowski denied allegations that he has been a “yes man” of sorts with Trump, the former campaign manager noted that Trump “has had his finger on the pulse of the American public” throughout his campaign and that he only pushed back on “issues that are important.”
“I think you have to be very selective,” Lewandowski said.
“I don’t just give a ‘yes’ answer,” he added. “And I will fight for my opinions, forcefully.”
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