Manafort Out after Trump Campaign Shake-Up

The Donald Trump campaign has confirmed that chief strategist Paul Manafort has resigned from the campaign .

In a statement Trump said:

“This morning Paul Manafort offered, and I accepted, his resignation from the campaign. I am very appreciative for his great work in helping to get us where we are today, and in particular his work guiding us through the delegate and convention process. Paul is a true professional and I wish him the greatest success.”

The Washington Post is reporting that Manafort is leaving on good terms and “will remain an ally and outside confidant of the campaign, according to a close associate of his who spoke on the condition of anonymity Friday.”

The resignation comes on the heels of a campaign shuffle that put pollster Kellyanne Conway as campaign manager and Breitbart executive chairman Stephen Bannon as chief executive.  Trump aides said that Manafort was giving the new blood room to develop their own plans and strategies.

Aides to the campaign were surprised at the Manfort resignation, assuming he would stay on as an advisor. “He didn’t seem like he was going to do it,” said one person familiar with Manafort’s thinking as of Wednesday night. “He said, ‘Look, I think I can still help Donald.’”