Washington Post reporter Ben Terris on Friday dismissed a Breitbart News report that suggested a security guard, not Donald Trump’s campaign manager, had grabbed a reporter’s arm earlier this week after a press conference.
“I saw what I saw,” Terris told Erik Wemple, a media reporter for the Post.
Terris told Michelle Fields, the Breitbart reporter involved in the alleged incident, that it was Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s campaign manager, who nearly dragged her to the floor after a press conference Tuesday night in Jupiter, Florida.
Terris was at the press conference because he was profiling Lewandowski and Trump’s other advisers. His piece, which touched on the incident with Fields, was titled, “Inside Trump’s inner circle, his staffers are willing to fight for him. Literally.”
Fields filed a police report with local law enforcement Friday afternoon.
Lewandowski, Trump and Trump’s campaign spokeswoman have denied that Lewandowski was involved.
Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks gave this statement to the Post: “As we said from the beginning, Corey Lewandowski was not involved. We are vindicated and we look forward to receiving an apology from your publication and your reporter, Ben Terris.”
Previously, campaign statements denied the incident had even happened.
When asked for clarification, Hicks added, “Mr. Trump was asked about an incident involving Corey. There was no incident involving Corey.”
