The announcement comes on the same day that two national polls showed the President trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden by double digits.
"I am pleased to announce that Bill Stepien has been promoted to the role of Trump Campaign Manager," Trump said in a Facebook post. "Brad Parscale, who has been with me for a very long time and has led our tremendous digital and data strategies, will remain in that role, while being a Senior Advisor to the campaign. Both were heavily involved in our historic 2016 win, and I look forward to having a big and very important second win together. This one should be a lot easier as our poll numbers are rising fast, the economy is getting better, vaccines and therapeutics will soon be on the way, and Americans want safe streets and communities!"
Parscale's future had been in serious doubt for weeks. In addition to the President's lagging poll numbers Trump was furious after a much-hyped return to the campaign trail fell flat at the end of June. A planned rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, fell well short of expectations after Parscale predicted massive crowds, not only inside the 19,000-seat arena but outside as well.
In the weeks leading up the event, Parscale predicted as many as 100,000 people would show up to support the President. Instead a meager crowd of just over 6,000 came, the outdoor event was canceled and Trump was embarrassed -- laying much of the blame on Parscale who personally offered up Tulsa as one of the locations for the President's return to the trail.
Parscale was unaware until a few hours before the Wednesday night announcement that he was being demoted, a source familiar with the situation told CNN. Trump's son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, was the one who informed Parscale of the decision, according to a source familiar with the conversation.
Stepien met with the President on Tuesday at the White House about the potential move, according to a source familiar with the situation.
CNN has reached out to Parscale for comment, he has not yet responded. A source tells CNN, despite the demotion he plans to stay with the campaign.
Parscale had been lauded by the President and his allies as a digital guru who helped secure Trump's first election effort, and he became Trump's reelection campaign manager in early 2018.
He worked for the Trump family years before Trump launched a presidential bid and ascended to a role leading the campaign's data analytics team in June 2016. After Trump won, Parscale worked with America First Policies, a pro-Trump political organization.
Parscale parlayed that good will into his role running the entire campaign. He took the job in Februay 2018, but -- as the election grew closer and the demands of the campaign took hold, along with the curveball of the Covid-19 pandemic -- there were increasing concerns that his lack of political experience was starting to show.
"It was only a matter of time" before Parscale was moved out of his role as campaign manager, said a senior
