Conversation

According to the AP:

"In the hours after the indictment, the president angrily told one confidant that Manafort had been a campaign “part-timer” who had only helped steer the convention and got too much credit for Trump’s ability to hold onto the nomination, according to a person familiar with the private discussion."

Yes, they're trying to play the "The campaign manager didn't have any influence over the campaign so there's not any wrongdoing" card