Republican Operatives Issue Warnings About Donald Trump’s 2020 Team

A report from The Washington Examiner published on Saturday detailed what appear to be growing concerns among some Republican Party strategists and veterans of President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.

Trump recently appointed operative Bill Stepien as his campaign manager, demoting longtime ally Brad Parscale.

Among some of those who participated in Trump’s 2016 run, Stepien — who managed attorney Rudy Giuliani and late Arizona Sen. John McCain’s presidential bids — is reportedly seen as a figure of the Republican Party establishment.

According to advisory board member of Trump 2020 John Fredericks, Stepien would be more suited to work for a Republican like Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, who was the only GOP senator to vote to convict Trump in the upper chamber’s impeachment trial.

Fredericks said that operatives like Corey Lewandowski — who briefly managed Trump’s first White House bid — would have been a better fit for the job.

“Corey understands how to reach the base, and he understands how Trump connects with people, probably better than anybody in America other than Steve Bannon,” he said.

An unnamed Republican consultant told the publication that the Trump team could benefit from Stepien’s appointment in some ways, but noted that someone like Trump’s former deputy campaign manager David Bossie needs to be part of the reelection effort.

“Stepien understands campaigning, so there are certain institutional things as far as campaigning will go that I think will step up, but the question is, will he lead the messaging or the nuts and bolts?” the consultant asked.

Another Trump insider conceded that Stepien does not “know the base better than some others,” but argued that the commander-in-chief has managed to expand his support over the last four years.

“If you are going to put him up against Corey Lewandowski — of course not. But they’ve got to get over it,” the insider said.

When asked about the most recent appointments in Trump’s 2002 effort, one 2016 veteran said that “we would rather the ‘first-in’ alumni group get preferential treatment in the reelection.”

Some Republicans are more concerned about Trump’s reelection strategy. Strategists and insiders reportedly fear that the president’s allies have been launching ineffective attacks against the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden.

On Friday, prominent Republican donor Dan Eberhart warned those close to Trump to stop dismissing the polls — which show Biden ahead, even in key battleground states — and change course while there is still time to do so.

Eberhart also pointed out that Trump’s financial advantage over the Democrat has all but melted away.