Hope Hicks, one of the longest-serving political aides of President Donald Trump, will reportedly become the fourth person to occupy the job of White House communications director since the November election. According to a story first reported by The Daily Caller and later confirmed by CNN, the Trump campaign communications whiz kid turned director of strategic communications will likely assume the role very soon. Though as the latter’s White House sources caution, “[d]iscussions are in the final stages” with the 28-year-old staffer.
First occupied by Jason Miller, the communications director gig became vacant nearly a month before inauguration day when he resigned from the position during an adultery scandal. Mike Dubke took the role and remained there until late May, when he tendered his resignation in the midst of a rumored “shakeup” in the White House’s communications department. Said shakeup came to fruition a few months later when, in less than 24 hours, Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned in protest of Anthony Scaramucci’s appointment to the communications director position. The latter immediately promoted Sarah Huckabee Sanders to Spicer’s old role.
Considering the Mooch’s bluster during his first press conference, however, it became readily apparent that he probably wouldn’t last too long in his new role. Sure enough, a subsequent interview he gave to The New Yorker ultimately resulted in his being ousted by newly appointed Chief of Staff John Kelly a mere 10 days after his appointment. Hicks, meanwhile, has remained a calm and quiet presence in the background of an otherwise chaotic public relations apparatus since day one. She almost never tweets (hence why her account isn’t verified), and very rarely gives interviews or allows herself to become the story’s subject. Olivia Nuzzi managed to write a wonderful profile of Hicks for GQ during the 2016 election, but even then, she revealed little.
UPDATE: The White House announced Wednesday morning that Hicks will serve as interim White House communications director while she and Sanders search for a replacement for Scaramucci.
(Via CNN and The Daily Caller)