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Corey Lewandowski has repeatedly thanked Trump for investing in the security cameras that captured the incident. | AP Photo Lewandowski: Battery case became 'huge distraction' for Trump campaign

Trump's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said on Thursday that the incident with former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields had become a "huge distraction" from winning the Republican presidential nomination.

In his first interview since a Florida state attorney decided not to prosecute him for battery for the incident, Lewandowski praised Trump for sticking by him and pledged to work harder than ever to put him in the White House.

“This is a huge distraction for the campaign and should never have been. If Michelle Fields wanted to [have] a conversation, we could have had a conversation privately and not made this the story it is today,” Lewandowski said. “I'm sorry this has become the story it is today. So I'm glad it's behind us. I’m glad there’s no charges moving forward and I'm ready to double my effort on this campaign to make sure Mr. Trump is elected.”

Lewandowski was speaking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity, who had vehemently defended Lewandowski since the Trump aide was charged with simple battery and a video of the incident that showed Lewandowski reaching for and grabbing Fields by the arm was released.

Trump, he said, had stood by him even though “all the other candidates in the race asked me to be fired and said I should have my chance, my day in court.”

Lewandowski also repeatedly thanked Trump for investing in the security cameras that captured the incident, which took place at Trump National Gold Club in Jupiter, Florida.

“The thing, is the video came from Mr. Trump and if he didn't have the survey equipment, you know, in the ceiling that night, this could be a completely different,” Lewandowski said. “So I'm thankful he invested the money necessary to get that video and turn it over to the police at his own request because he knew the video would exonerate me. I'm very thankful he made the investment to do that.”

“Would you have a sit-down with her, would you talk to her, try and break bread and put this aside?” Hannity asked, referring to Fields.

“I'm open to anything,” Lewandowski said. "I can tell you how difficult this has been on my family. I got four young kids. I have a wife who lives in New Hampshire who's been living this whole thing every day not understanding what's going on, reading the media stories which have been wholly inaccurate because they want to make this a story that doesn't exist. So it's tough personally.”

But Lewandowski didn’t rule out forgiveness.

“Look, I'm also a Catholic and religious person and I think people deserve forgiveness whao ask for it. I'm not saying it in a bad way,” Lewandowski said. “What I'm saying [is] look, life is a long thing and I don't need enemies. I need friends just like Donald Trump. We're going to bring everyone together and make our party bigger and better and stronger and people that haven't been involved before are going to be involved now and we're going to be successful moving forward."

During a news conference earlier on Thursday, Palm Beach State Attorney David Aronberg said that while it's clear Lewandowski grabbed Fields against her will as she tried to ask Trump a question — despite his public denials — Lewandowski may have been acting to defend his boss after Fields possibly brushed against or touched Trump's arm.

"It is unethical for us to files cases when we believe there is not a good faith basis to proceed," Aronberg said.