Donald Trump's embattled campaign chairman Paul Manafort resigns
WASHINGTON _ Donald Trump's embattled campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, resigned Friday amid increasing questions about his work for a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine.
The resignation comes two days after Manafort lost much of his power in a leadership shakeup that included the introduction of a new chief operating officer and a campaign manager, filling roles that had been in Manafort's hands.
"This morning Paul Manafort offered, and I accepted, his resignation from the campaign," 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. Paul is a true professional and I wish him the greatest success."
Manafort had essentially taken control of Trump's campaign in June, after a power struggle that led to the ouster of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. But his efforts to rein in some of Trump's most controversial tendencies were seen as a failure. And Trump himself eventually lost confidence in Manafort, believing he was leaking information to the press, according to Barry Bennett, a former campaign senior adviser who continues to support Trump.
"He does not like to be leaked about. (Trump is) quite open to discussions, but he doesn't like to read the staff thoughts in the paper," Bennett said after Wednesday's shakeup.
_ Tribune Washington Bureau
