Was Trump unhappy with crowd size before Phoenix rally?
Donald Trump delivered a combative speech in Phoenix last week, and a report suggests that his mood had darkened before he reached the podium, where he spent over an hour insulting journalists, complaining about senators from his own party, and defending his remarks about violence in Charlottesville, Virginia that left one dead and several people wounded.
What Mr. Trump saw before his speech -- monitors showing his rally at the Phoenix Convention Center was not yet filled to capacity -- "displeased" him, according to a report by Bloomberg News. Though crowds eventually filled the space, Bloomberg reported that George Gigicos, a former Trump aide who organized the event for the Republican National Committee (RNC), was told by Mr. Trump's head of security, Keith Schiller that he would never manage a Trump rally again.
"What a crowd….a lot of people in here, a lot of people pouring right now," the president said after taking the stage, despite his reported displeasure.
After the rally, President Trump tweeted, "Phoenix crowd last night was amazing - a packed house."
According to two sources close to the administration, Gigicos had fallen out of favor with the president some time ago. One source said that while it's true that Mr. Trump was not happy, it was not crowd size that was irritating him.
Gigigos left the White House in late July and returned to the reelection campaign. Bobby Peede, Vice President Mike Pence's director of advance, has been floated as a possible replacement for Gigicos at the White House.
CBS News' Arden Farhi contributed to this report.
