Here was my final solution, and I tried it all including the tapping with a rubber mallet etc. I used a paint can opener, a flat head screw driver and a putty knife. I wedged the putty knife right under the trim piece at the bottom, I then used a thin and narrow screw driver that I slid on top of the putty knife to slightly turn up the trim piece, careful not to damage it, then I took the paint can opener and worked around the underneath of the trim piece until it finally freed up. The problem was there was so my dirt and debris that the trim piece inner ring was simply wedged too tight to easily free up. Real pain in the tail.