Trump Campaign Reportedly In Shambles As RNC Distances Itself

As Donald Trump continues to blunder his way through the general election, the Trump campaign is reportedly in shambles as campaign manager Paul Manafort grows increasingly frustrated, the Huffington Post reports.

Paul Manafort, who spent over a decade managing difficult “dictatorial” types, such as Imelda Marcos of the Philippines, Jonas Savimbi of Angola, and Victor Yanukovych of Ukraine, can’t seem to manage Donald Trump of New York.

No one expects Manafort to resign, but his friends and allies do confirm that he is growing frustrated by Trump’s refusal — or inability — to either seek or take advice as the real estate mogul continues to crash and burn on the national stage. Instead of trying to get a grip on what has become a runaway train wreck, including Trump’s attack on the Gold Star Khan family, throwing a baby out of a recent campaign rally, and making light about the ease in which he managed to get a Purple Heart after the New York Times published a damning piece on his multiple draft deferments, Trump is still spending his time posting disastrous statements on social media.

“The problem is that Trump watches TV every minute that he isn’t actually on his phone, either talking or tweeting,” said one adviser. “And then he gets angry at what he sees on TV and reacts.”

Trump’s penchant for lashing out via Twitter is exactly what Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton called attention to during her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.

“A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.”

Donald Trump, of course, reacted almost immediately via Twitter.

Another campaign official stated that Trump does not take well to criticism, so any critique has to be “prefaced with lavish praise — as if dealing with a child.”

Manafort seems willing to stay with the Trump campaign despite his frustrations.

“But I don’t think Manafort will quit,” the adviser said. “He’s come too far for too long in this business to stop now, no matter how frustrating. There is nothing Paul can do.”

However, Manafort’s dedication does not mean he has any enthusiasm left for his job. Another source stated that Manafort is “counting the days” he has left.

The RNC is now distancing itself from Donald Trump, particularly in light of his multiple attacks on the Khan family.

After months of trying to legitimize Trump and his campaign, Reince Priebus, the RNC chair, has gone silent, stating only, “I think this family should be off limits.”

And in response to a question about Trump’s recent concerns that the election may be rigged, the RNC again distanced itself, stating that questions should be directed at the Trump campaign itself.

After months of claiming the Republican National Convention would be Trump’s opportunity to unite the Republican Party and come out ready to take on Clinton, Trump has, instead, created even more division within his own party and has done so much damage to his own campaign in the days following that many officials are calling his campaign “self-destructive.”

Trump’s children, who have been a mainstay on the trail and reportedly a moderating influence on their father, have lost control as Donald Trump continues along in the general election.

At this point, it appears that the leaders, operatives, and insiders within the Republican Party have concluded, at a very late date, that Donald Trump is simply unmanageable. He has a penchant for not only saying the exact wrong thing at the exact wrong time, but he also does it with absolute flair. Trump seems to relish in his own bombastic rhetoric, unable to stay focused and certainly incapable of unifying their party, and he may be doing irreparable damage to the GOP brand, as well.

Instead, die-hard Trump supporters have pinned their dwindling hopes on “outside events,” such as Julian Assange releasing incredibly damaging materials or Hillary Clinton being damaged in another way.

“This election is going to be decided by outside events,” said one Trump adviser. “If, that is, we can figure out how to get the candidate to use them.”

At this point, that “if” seems more and more unlikely.

[Photo by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images]