Former President Donald Trump's team is reportedly in talks with Paul Manafort, his 2016 campaign chairman who was later pardoned, to potentially assist with the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Manafort, a key figure in Trump's 2016 campaign, was pardoned by Trump in 2018 after being convicted of financial crimes.
Sources suggest that Manafort may be involved in fundraising efforts for the July convention, although final decisions have not been made. Trump has expressed interest in bringing Manafort back into his circle, but the exact role remains uncertain.
The Washington Post initially reported on Manafort's potential role in Trump's 2024 election campaign. Manafort served nearly two years of a 7.5-year prison sentence for various offenses before being released in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, spending the remainder of his sentence under home confinement prior to his pardon.
In 2019, Manafort was found guilty of financial fraud, unrelated to his work on Trump's campaign. He had also agreed to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller's team but later lied during the investigation.
Manafort, known for his political experience dating back to the Reagan era, played a significant role in securing Trump the Republican nomination in 2016. Despite being sidelined before the general election due to financial ties to Ukrainian politicians, Manafort remained involved in Trump's transition to the White House.
