According to Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Bender’s new book, “Frankly We Did Win This Election,” former President Donald Trump became enraged at his then-campaign manager Brad Parscale after news articles and a Lincoln Project ad highlighted the amount of money Parscale was earning from working on his campaign.
Parscale’s financial fortunes were documented in two news investigations released in early 2020 by the Daily Mail and the Huffington Post. After serving as Trump’s digital expert in 2016 and then as his campaign manager in 2020, he’d gone from business troubles to buying up property and fancy automobiles.
Between January 2017 and March 2020, Parscale’s corporations received $38.9 million in disbursements from Trump’s campaign and other reelection-related committees.
The Lincoln Project, a political action committee made up of former Republican consultants who oppose Trump, jumped on the stories and produced a 45-second spot titled “GOP Cribs” featuring Parscale’s $2.4 million waterfront property in Fort Lauderdale, which was photographed and published by the Daily Mail. The video also showed Parscale’s Florida residences and his and his wife’s expensive car collection, which included a BMW X6, a Range Rover, and a Ferrari.
The ad, which was designed to mock a single audience, focused on the campaign manager rather than the candidate, insinuating that Parscale was making a fool of Trump and making money on his behalf.
According to the book, the advertisement achieved the desired effect. According to Bender, Trump went on the warpath in Trump Tower, wildly waving a printout of one of the articles about how much money Parscale’s company had raked in.
Trump “unleashed a barrage of insults, accusations, and expletives that seemed to violate basic principles of human biology that indicate every man must at some point pause to take a breath,” according to Bender. “That’s my money!” he exclaimed. “What the f—-?” and “what the f—-?”
Deputy campaign manager David Bossie intervened and contained the outburst in a private office as a result of the uproar.
At that moment, White House advisor Kellyanne Conway joined the fray, and she and Bossie attempted to defuse the situation by explaining that Parscale wasn’t simply stealing the money, but that his company was spending the majority of it on advertising and marketing services.
Trump then lamented: “I just hate these f—ing stories.”
According to Bender’s recounting, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner also stepped in to defend Parscale from claims that he was making off with the Trump campaign’s hard-earned cash.
“Brad can make a million f—ing dollars a month with his marketing skills and by the way, I’d be the first person to hire him,” Kushner told his father-in-law, according to the book. “You’re getting him for $30,000 a month. So you need to just calm down.”
Parscale was Trump’s campaign manager until the end of September 2020 when he suffered a mental breakdown.
Parscale was hospitalized after a police incident taking place at his home in the city of Ft. Lauderdale. Parscale’s wife Candice reportedly contacted local police and told them he was armed while threatening to harm himself. It was reported that a SWAT team even showed up at his residence.
As authorities claim there was a short interaction then Parscale was provided with proper medical attention. That being administered as part of the Baker Act, a state law that allows intervention in order to prevent self-harm.
Police also removed 10 guns from Parscale’s home.
Police arrived at Parscale’s home after receiving a 911 call. When they arrived Parscale’s wife stated that he hit her, was suicidal, and had loaded a handgun during a heated argument, according to police reports.
Police noted that Parscale’s wife had bruises on her arms and face. She reported hearing a gunshot as she fled from the home. She told the police that her husband has PTSD and a drinking problem.
Parscale, 44, was taken involuntarily to a Broward Health Medical Center by police under Florida’s Baker Act. Parscale had barricaded himself inside his $2.4 million home that he shares with his wife, Candice.
