Donald Trump’s campaign manager shouldn’t be “destroyed” over charges he violently grabbed a reporter, the billionaire businessman pleaded Tuesday.
The GOP presidential candidate defended campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who was arrested on Tuesday and charged with simple battery against former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields. She says the casino tycoon’s campaign aide injured her when he grabbed her arm at an event in Florida.
Lewandowski was released, and a court date is set for May 4.
Trump’s campaign manager had denied that he even touched Fields, but footage released Tuesday by law enforcement officials revealed he did indeed yank on her as she attempted to ask Trump a question after a press conference held at his Florida club.
Still, Trump argued that the video released Tuesday shows something much different from what Fields said happened, including her claim she was nearly thrown to the ground.
“I’m very glad that we were able to produce the tape because I don’t see anything. I see virtually nothing,” the casino tycoon said on Fox News Tuesday. “And we’re going to destroy a man’s life over this? You know, they’re chopping off heads, they’re drowning people in the Middle East. We’re going to destroy a man’s life?”
“He has four beautiful children and a wife in New Hampshire and we’re going to destroy his life because somebody makes a charge? And by the way, did you notice how that charge had changed after she found out that Donald Trump produced the tape? I had not have produced the tape, it would have been much worse,” he added.
“Because look at the statement she made, I had to write it down, ‘forcefully thrown reporters to the ground, campaign managers aren’t supposed to forcefully throw campaign managers to the ground’. What ground? I mean, if you look at her face, her expression doesn’t even change,” Trump concluded.
He maintained, however, that he would’ve fired Lewandowski immediately if his aide had indeed manhandled Fields.
“Oh, if he threw her to the ground, I would have fired him immediately. Absolutely. But, I mean, look what she said, ‘I was jolted backward, someone grabbed me tightly by the arm and yanked me down, campaign managers aren’t supposed to forcefully throw reporters to the ground,” he told Hannity.
“Look, I would tell Corey, that’s very easy for me to do that. That’s actually the easiest thing. But I can’t destroy a man’s life with somebody that does a story. Now her story changed once she found out there was a tape. All of a sudden, it’s ‘Uh-oh, this is a problem because there is a tape,'” he added.
The surveillance footage of Lewandowski pulling on Fields was recorded by surveillance in Trump’s own club.
