Donald Trump, GOP Debate - H 2015
AP ImagesIt’s a game of he said he said.
On Saturday afternoon, Donald Trump‘s campaign strategist, Roger Stone, denied reports that Trump fired him and is claiming he fired the former Apprentice star.
“Sorry @realDonaldTrump didn’t fire me- I fired Trump. Diasagree with diversion to food fight with @megynkelly away core issue messages,” Stone tweeted. He later added, “Very anxious to see the direction of the Trump campaign from here and the next round of credible polls. #Standby.”
Sorry @realDonaldTrump didn’t fire me- I fired Trump. Diasagree with diversion to food fight with @megynkelly away core issue messages
— Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) August 8, 2015
Very anxious to see the direction of the Trump campaign from here and the next round of credible polls. #StandBy
— Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) August 8, 2015
According to Stone’s resignation letter obtained by MSNBC, Stone wrote: “Unfortunately, the current controversies involving personalities and provocative media fights have reached such a high volume that it has distracted attention from your platform and overwhelmed your core message … With this current direction of the candidacy, I no longer can remain involved in your campaign.”
Related Stories
Washington Post national political reporter Robert Costa broke the news that Trump “fired” Stone in a series of tweets Saturday morning.
“Stone, who is Trump’s longest serving adviser and confidant, was terminated by e-mail late Friday, Trump said,” he began, followed by “BREAKING: @realDonaldTrump has fired Roger Stone as a political adviser, per Trump in intvw w/ @washingtonpost.”
The tweets continued: “Trump tells WaPo: I’m going to kick my 2016 campaign into higher gear, cleaning house, no more “publicity seekers,” then, “Trump tells me he’s not apologizing for Kelly controversy. Moving on. Cleaning house. Ignoring party estab. Not coming to ATL,” “Trump acknowledged that Stone may offer a different take on how this all went down. But he wanted to be clear: Stone is gone from Team Trump” and “Trump and Stone have been quarreling for some time now, per friends of both. Flared post-debate. Relationship ended late Fri/early Sat.”
Costa hopped on the phone with Stone, who denied Trump’s news: “On phone now w/ @RogerJStoneJr: “I categorically deny I was fired and I’ll let my resignation letter speak to the other issues.”
Soon after, Trump called Costa: “Trump just called @washingtonpost again. Said, “I want to surround myself only w/ the best and most serious ppl. We want top of line pros” and “Trump tells me he doesn’t need Fox; they need him. “Without me, they would have had a million people watching, not 24 million.”
Costa then tweeted, “How Trump ends call with a memo to the GOP establishment: “I have a lot of money and I’m not getting out. I’m going to win.”
Stone, who is Trump’s longest serving adviser and confidant, was terminated by e-mail late Friday, Trump said
— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 8, 2015
BREAKING: @realDonaldTrump has fired Roger Stone as a political adviser, per Trump in intvw w/ @washingtonpost
— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 8, 2015
Trump tells WaPo: I’m going to kick my 2016 campaign into higher gear, cleaning house, no more “publicity seekers”
— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 8, 2015
Trump tells me he’s not apologizing for Kelly controversy. Moving on. Cleaning house. Ignoring party estab. Not coming to ATL.
— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 8, 2015
Trump acknowledged that Stone may offer a different take on how this all went down. But he wanted to be clear: Stone is gone from Team Trump
— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 8, 2015
Trump and Stone have been quarreling for some time now, per friends of both. Flared post-debate. Relationship ended late Fri/early Sat.
— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 8, 2015
On phone now w/ @RogerJStoneJr: “I categorically deny I was fired and I’ll let my resignation letter speak to the other issues.”
— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 8, 2015
So, where we stand: TRUMP: I fired Stone, I’m cleaning house, “running a serious campaign.” STONE: I resigned (after wks of friction)
— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 8, 2015
Trump just called @washingtonpost again. Said, “I want to surround myself only w/ the best and most serious ppl. We want top of line pros.”
— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 8, 2015
Trump tells me he doesn’t need Fox; they need him. “Without me, they would have had a million people watching, not 24 million.”
— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 8, 2015
How Trump ends call: with a memo to the GOP establishment. “I have a lot of money and I’m not getting out. I’m going to win.”
— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 8, 2015
A Trump representative did not immediately respond to The Hollywood Reporter‘s request for comment.
