Corey Lewandowski, the Donald Trump manager who was at the heart of an assault claim by a former Breitbart reporter – a claim that was then dismissed by authorities – parted ways with the campaign on Monday.

"The Donald J. Trump campaign ... has today announced that Corey Lewandowski will no longer be working with the campaign," Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for the campaign, said in a widely reported statement. "The campaign is grateful to Corey for his hard work and dedication, and we wish him the best in the

future."

It's not completely clear who left whom. The New York Times, which first reported the separation, cited an unnamed source who said the campaign "had long planned adjustments to adjust to the needs of a general election campaign."

But at least one political consultant saw a less amicable departure.

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"Firing your campaign manager in June is never a good sign," said Kevin Madden, a Republican political adviser, shortly after news of Lewandowski's departure broke, USA Today reported.

Meanwhile, from ABC News, was a statement from a senior Trump aide who called Lewandowski's departure a firing that "was a long time coming" and now the campaign just "needs to get everyone on the same page."

Lewandowski, shortly after the campaign made its announcement, said to CNN that Trump was a "decent man" who was the best candidate to beat Hillary Clinton.

He went on, CNN reported: "I stand by the fact that Mr. Trump is a great candidate and is better than Hillary Clinton ever will be."

Lewandowski has faced rising scrutiny in recent weeks, due in large part to allegations made by former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields that he strong-armed her from the path of Trump at a Florida rally in March, injuring her in the process. The video of the incident showed her claims of nearly being tossed to the ground were exaggerated, and a later suit she filed in Florida court was dismissed.

The Trump campaign, in the wake of that fiasco, put out a statement standing staunchly by Lewandowski's side. But other media outlets reported in even more recent days of political infighting on the Trump campaign trail, waged in part by Lewandowski.

As the Wall Street Journal reported: "Lewandowski helped Mr. Trump win the Republican presidential nomination, emerging from that primary win as one of the closest aides to the fiery New York businessman. But throughout the volatile campaign, the campaign manager courted controversy of his own, waging internal fights with other members of Mr. Trump's inner circle."

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The infighting reportedly included skirmishes with senior adviser Paul Manafort, who sought to take the campaign in a more structured direction, to include use of a teleprompter for some of Trump's speeches.

The shakeup could prove a boon for Trump's negative numbers with more establishment elements of the Republican Party who've watched with growing alarm the candidate's off-the-cuff remarks on Muslim immigration, and on the Trump University suit. Toward the second, Trump has raised questions whether the judge, who was born in Indiana but has Hispanic heritage, could be a fair arbiter.

As the Wall Street Journal noted, at least one Capitol Hill insider, Joe Kasper, the chief of staff to Rep. Duncan Hunter, saw the parting of ways with Lewandowski as a good thing.

"There's going to be good consensus on the Hill that this is a smart move, and it will go a long way toward making our job easier building support," he said.

Reaction, shortly after the announcement, came as a slow trickle – starting with this mocking tweet, from Fields.

"Hey @CLewandowski_I hear @BreitbartNews is hiring," she wrote.

And Greta Van Susteren, Fox News journalist and host, tweeted this: "Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. @realDonaldTrump."

Another, from Gabriel Sherman, a New York Times best-selling author and the national affairs editor at New York Magazine: "Hearing Lewandowski was escorted out by Trump security this morning. His firing was result of coup by Trump children, campaign source said."

And one more, from Mark Halperin, the managing editor of Bloomberg Politics: "Trump campaign source both Corey & Manafort made it clear to others over the weekend the other 1 had to go, forcing Trump to choose."