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M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO Trump says Manafort 'very happy' with him

To hear Donald Trump tell it, the Republican front-runner's newly hired convention adviser Paul Manafort is "very happy" about his Monday appearances in which he poked fun at John Kasich's eating habits and Ted Cruz's inability to get anything done in the Senate.

"I know he's very happy. Yesterday I had a full stadium in Pennsylvania. I had two full stadiums in Pennsylvania, and in Rhode Island it was unbelievable," Trump said in a telephone interview with "Fox & Friends." "Like a love fest. It's always like a love fest."

During his events in Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, Trump assailed the political alliance between Kasich and Cruz to deny him the necessary number of delegates to clinch the Republican nomination, all while slamming the Ohio governor for the "disgusting" way he shovels food into his mouth during press appearances and for his alliance with"lyin' Ted" Cruz.

"We have thousands of people who can't get into the things. You know, the areas that I covered yesterday, it was so incredible. And the polls are looking phenomenal," Trump said, referring to the five states that are set to vote Tuesday. The Manhattan billionaire leads in every state.

POLITICO reported earlier Tuesday that Trump is rejecting Manafort's efforts to make him more "presidential" and is beginning to restore some authority to campaign manager (and Manafort's internal rival) Corey Lewandowski.