Manafort: Trump Has ‘Already Started Moderating’ on Muslim Ban, Will ‘Soften It Some More’

Top Donald Trump aide Paul Manafort gave a rather revealing interview to The Huffington Post in which he talked about Trump’s “moderating” strategy for the general election.

And yes, that includes the Muslim ban. Earlier this month Trump said, “Sure I’d back off on it.” And Manafort explained, “He’s already started moderating on that. He operates by starting the conversation at the outer edges and then brings it back towards the middle. Within his comfort zone, he’ll soften it some more.”

The border wall is non-negotiable, he says, but the Muslim ban? Eh.

Manafort’s also confident that the polls are exaggerating problems for Trump where none exist, both within the GOP and with Latinos & women. He says The Donald is more popular among Hispanics & women than you might think.

But when asked about potentially choosing someone from either demographic to be veep, this is what he said:

The campaign probably won’t choose a woman or a member of a minority group, he said. “In fact, that would be viewed as pandering, I think.”

And while Manafort believes that Americans want change, he reassures that Trump himself does not plan on changing that much, even if he acknowledges there’s a need to “say it right.”

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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