Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson is cutting more than 50 staff positions Thursday amid a downsizing of his campaign, The Washington Post reports.
Carson confidant Armstrong Williams told the Post that the cut-back was considered for weeks but postponed until after the caucuses in Iowa, where Carson took fourth place.
{mosads}Senior staff will remain, including campaign chairman retired Army Gen. Robert F. Dees and campaign manager Ed Brookover. Two senior aides had resigned after a shakeup in December.
The Post report also indicated that salaries of Carson staff members would be slashed, fewer advisers would travel with Carson and he may return to flying on commercial instead of private jets.
Carson has blasted Ted Cruz this week for “dirty tricks” and a dishonest campaign culture after aides shared reports Monday during the caucuses that Carson was taking a break from the campaign trail.
Cruz, who won in Iowa, has apologized to Carson for his aides not circulating follow-up reports clarifying that Carson was simply taking a break from the trail but was continuing on with his campaign.