Corey Lewandowski: Trump Doesn’t Understand Global Impact Of His Tweets

CHICAGO, IL — Former campaign manager for President Donald Trump Corey Lewandowski spoke at the University of Chicago Wednesday amid protests and calls for the school to rescind its invitation to the former CNN and current Fox News contributor.

The event, called "Inside Trumpism," was held at the Institute of Politics, headed by former Obama adviser David Axelrod, and was moderated by institute fellow and Washington Post reporter Robert Costa. It was closed to the press, like past such "Fellow seminars" at the Institute.

Nevertheless, some students spoke to the reporters from the university's student newspaper, The Chicago Maroon.

“[Lewandowski] admitted that Trump doesn’t understand how his tweeting has global impacts. He said that," said a student who spoke to the paper on condition of anonymity.

Another student, third-year Calvin Cottrell, paraphrased Lewandowski's account of Steve Bannon's working relationship with President Trump to the Maroon:

"Bannon will have two-second comments, he’ll just be like, ‘Oh, maybe think about this,’ and kind of lead Trump down a different path. And apparently Trump has a very one-track mind about how he’s thinking about policy, and Bannon will slightly tweak the direction or framing of questions, and apparently that’s very helpful for Bannon.”

More than a hundred demonstrators gathered outside the event, and seven student attendees walked out in protest during the seminar.

IOP Executive Director Steve Edwards addressed the walk-out in an official statement to the school paper:

"A few chose to protest by leaving the event a few minutes in. The vast majority stayed and had the opportunity to hear from Lewandowski and Costa and ask tough and insightful questions, in the best spirit of our democracy. We are grateful to all for their participation.”

On Monday, Edwards rejected calls for Lewandowski's invitation to be rescinded, saying the institute is non-partisan. The university "would be remiss if we did not invite guests who could provide insights into the administration’s thinking and approach to governing," he wrote to Chicagoist via email.

Protesters cheered as young children attempted to smash a piñata styled as President Trump.

Demonstrators argued that extending invitations to Lewandowski and White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who spoke at the institute recently, encourages hate groups, WMAQ reported. They noted a recent increase in white supremacist activity on campus, including posters and swastikas, according to Chicagoist.

“[I]n reality there’s nothing neutral about inviting a speaker to your campus that represents hate,” second-year Mary Blair said, and first-year Philip O'Sullivan said giving Lewandowski a platform was “a dangerous normalization of Trump and his ideas," according to The Maroon.

"I don’t think these people are interested in learning from someone with whom they disagree,” third-year student Matthew Foldi, president of the University of Chicago College Republicans, told the student paper.

Top photo: Corey Lewandowski (Patch File)