Hope Hicks Walks Away

By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host

Hope Hicks is President Trump’s longest serving aide, and among his most trusted.  After nine hours with the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee regarding its investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, she’s resigning.  We are being told the two are not related.
During the questioning, she declined to answer questions about the administration.

According to Reuters, Hicks did more than steer messaging. She was a constant presence in Trump’s orbit, sitting in on interviews with reporters and quietly steering press-related policy while maintaining a behind-the-scenes, low-but-glamorous-profile.

Lawmakers said Hicks, Trump’s spokeswoman during the 2016 election campaign, did answer House panel questions on Tuesday about her time with the campaign, and the transition months between the November election and the January 2017 inauguration.

A one-time aide to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, and with no previous experience in politics, Hicks was one of the first people hired by the then-New York businessman when he began his campaign for the presidency.

An aide said she had approached the president and told him she wanted to leave so she could start exploring opportunities outside of the White House.

U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia ran a program of hacking and disinformation to interfere in the elections.  February 16, a U.S. special counsel indicted 13 Russians and three companies on charges of tampering in the campaign.

Russia denies interfering in the U.S. election and Trump denies any collusion between his campaign and Moscow officials.

Hicks took over as communications director in September after Anthony Scaramucci was fired. She is credited behind the scenes for stabilizing the communications operation.

Hicks said in her own statement that “there are no words to adequately express my gratitude to President Trump. I wish the president and his administration the very best as he continues to lead our country.”

– Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary