Trump campaign shifted chief rally organizer and top staffer Michael Glassner to a new role. Originally serving as the executive director of Trump's 2020 presidential campaign committee, Glassner's recently assigned role involves dealing with legal affairs.
Trump's reelection campaign is introducing radical overhauls in its top leadership by reassigning Glassner a new role following the recently concluded rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the president had to speak to an empty arena. Trump is understandably upset about the rally's failure, and it looked like campaign manager Brad Parscale would be a potential target, there were questions about Glassner's future as well, given that he was responsible for arranging these events.
A spokesman for the Trump campaign Tim Murtaugh said in an email that the reassignment was not a reaction to the Tulsa rally, adding that Glassner has been moved into a long-term role of dealing with the legal courses they face. Murtaugh noted that Glassner will now be navigating legal courses such as suits against top media outlets, some of which are likely to continue even after the campaign comes to an end.
One person familiar with the shakeup said Glassner is an unfortunate guy who is held responsible for the Tulsa rally's failure. The source said Glassner did not make many mistakes at the rally and did what he always does, but it didn't work out due to the ongoing pandemic, Axios reported.
Murtaugh described Glassner as one of the founding members of Team Trump, adding that his dedication to the president's success is unparalleled. The rally, which was held in BOK Center in Tulsa marked Trump's first rally in three months since coronavirus restrictions were introduced, and it showed the campaign and the president that the pandemic is far from over.
Two Secret Service agents and eight campaign staffers who attended the rally tested positive for coronavirus, while the remaining staffers who were present at the rally quarantined the following week. Those attending the rally had to pass through temperature checks and were given hand sanitizer and masks but it was not mandatory for the people to wear them or to follow social distancing guidance during the event, CNN reported.
The campaign staff removed signs urging attendees to follow social distancing guidance. Following this rally, Trump addressed a crowded church in Arizona where only a few people were wearing masks. The news about Glassner's reassignment comes on the day that the president's campaign canceled a rally in Alabama due to the ongoing pandemic.