Top aide dumped – or quit
I’M FIRED? No, you’re fired!
GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump announced Saturday that he axed top adviser Roger Stone — only to hear Stone insist that he really dumped The Donald.
Veteran political consultant Stone said his departure was spurred by Trump’s decision to continue trash-talking Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly after Thursday night’s debate.
“Sorry @realDonaldTrump didn’t fire me — I fired Trump,” Stone tweeted Saturday. “Disagree with diversion to food fight with @megynkelly.”
The ensuing sideshow, with Trump insulting Kelly via Twitter and in a damaging interview, steered attention “away (from) core issue messages,” Stone tweeted.
Trump was told by organizers to stay home Saturday from the RedState Gathering, a high-profile Georgia meeting of influential conservative activists, after one particularly noxious remark.
The billionaire developer, in an interview with The Washington Post, said that he fired Stone in an effort to rid his campaign of “publicity seekers.”
“I want to surround myself only with the best and most serious people,” Trump said. “We want top-of-the-line pros.”
Trump added that he would not apologize to Kelly, and was moving on from his campaign’s latest verbal conflagration.
Politico reported the Friday night falling out was over Trump’s reliance on sycophants rather than political professionals.
Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, after the Politico story was published, told the site the Donald fired Stone Friday night in what was their first post-debate conversation.
Trump’s remarks about Mexicans, Sen. John McCain and Rosie O’Donnell have defined his presidential run as much as any policy positions.
On Friday, Trump seemed to make a menstruation reference in a CNN interview about Kelly’s aggressive questioning at the debate.
“There was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever,” said Trump.
On Saturday, the reality show star presented himself as the innocent victim of a misconstrued remark.
“NOSE,” Trump tweeted. “Just got on w/thought.”
His campaign also issued a statement blasting RedState’s Erick Erickson for the disinvite.
“This is just another example of weakness through being politically correct,” said the statement. “For all of the people who were looking forward to Mr. Trump coming, we will miss you. Blame Erick Erickson, your weak and pathetic leader.”