Trump Aide Reassures RNC In Closed-Door Meeting: He’s ‘Projecting An Image’

Donald Trump strategist Paul J. Manafort, left, chats with former presidential candidate Ben Carson as they head to a Trump for president reception at the Republican National Committee Spring Meeting, Thursday, April... Donald Trump strategist Paul J. Manafort, left, chats with former presidential candidate Ben Carson as they head to a Trump for president reception at the Republican National Committee Spring Meeting, Thursday, April 21, 2016, in Hollywood, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) MORE LESS
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Republican frontrunner Donald Trump’s convention czar reassured top party officials Thursday that the billionaire’s bombastic tactics are part of a calculated onstage role, the Associated Press reported.

In a recording of the meeting with Republican National Committee members obtained by AP, senior Trump aide Paul Manafort said Trump would start to reveal “the real person” behind his outlandish stage presence.

“When he’s out on the stage, when he’s talking about the kinds of things he’s talking about on the stump, he’s projecting an image that’s for that purpose,” he said. “You’ll start to see more depth of the person, the real person. You’ll see a real different guy.”

While some committee officials welcomed the revelation, others said it raised concerns about Trump’s authenticity as a candidate, AP reported.

Ben Carson, a Trump surrogate working on campaign outreach, told officials, “He’s trying to moderate. He’s getting better.”

The candidate, for his part, said in a Thursday sit-down with “The Today Show” he would soon pivot to a more “presidential” demeanor.

“It’s easier for me to be presidential than for me to be doing what I’ve been doing for the last, really, nine months,” he said. “But at the right time, I will be so presidential, you will be so bored. You will say, can’t he have a little bit more energy?”

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Notable Replies

  1. Hmmm…I think he has two modes. Bombastic asshole and smug nouveau riche.
    It will be interesting to see if he has a third personality in his bag of tricks.

  2. Whoever wins the Democratic Nomination needs to beat him to death during the election with his outrageous statements, such as using Nukes in Europe. Don’t let him fool the rubes.

  3. Avatar for dd40 dd40 says:

    Will the real Donald Trump please stand up?

  4. Trump’s an authentic asshole with a thin resume, sense of entitlement and very poor impulse control. He has no policies that go beyond remedial talking points but the bigotry and misogyny are genuine.

    What more does anyone need to know?

  5. Oh, “we’re gonna love him once we get to know him” is what they’re trying to sell here ?

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