ATKINSON, Nh. — Former manager of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, Corey Lewandowski, returned to his hometown in Southern New Hampshire to speak at the local rotary club’s weekly meeting and give an insider’s take on Trump’s presidency.

Lewandowski spends most weekdays in Washington, D.C., where he’s establishing a new political consulting firm with former Trump adviser Barry Bennett. He served as Trump’s campaign manager from January 2015 to June 2016 and was fired when the team shifted from the primaries to the general election.

During his speech, he lauded Trump’s rise to the presidency, crowning him “the greatest political phenomenon of our lifetime.”

Rotarian Peter Rayno said the non-partisan group regularly welcomes guest speakers from across the political spectrum.

During the last election season, the group hosted then-Gov. Maggie Hassan and now former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, as they battled each other for the coveted senate seat.

“We hear all points of view here,” Rayno said.

Lewandowski, 43, noted Trump’s achievements have come despite “mainstream media with their own narrative.” The subject proved to be a major talking point at Friday’s breakfast gathering.

“He’s exceptionally magnanimous, humble and self-deprecating in private,” Lewandowski said of President Trump. “The best interview he does, and the best time he interacts, is when it’s directly with the American people.”

During a question and answer session, one Rotarian asked “when the public will meet that person,” and “how (Trump) can get out of the mainstream media mud.”

“It somewhat helps him get things done, but he’s also an incredible deal maker,” Lewandowski replied. “If you’re going to be successful, you need to be able to bring people together. If you look at Trump over the last 40 years as a business developer, he brings people together.”

Another Rotarian asked the insider about the relationship between Trump’s cabinet and Russia, to which Lewandowski simply replied, “there is none.”

When asked about the manpower behind Trump’s foreign policy advisers, Lewandowski rattled off three names that he considers crucial: Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly.

“You have a business executive in Trump with his own ideas,” Lewandowski said. “Then, there are people like Mattis, Tillerson and Kelly who bring a wide swath of experience.”

Although he does not have a formal White House position, Lewandowski said he still talks to the president fairly regularly.

Edelstein writes for the North Andover, Massachusetts Eagle Tribune.