palace intrigue
Trump is reportedly asking Hope Hicks who should replace her
The resignation of Hope Hicks leaves President Trump without his longtime confidante and — yet again — without a White House communications director. To fill the latter role, Trump is turning to Hicks herself for advice, Politico reported Friday night.
Hicks is the fourth person to officially serve as communications director in the Trump administration. She was preceded by Jason Miller, Michael Dubke, and Anthony Scaramucci, and former Press Secretary Sean Spicer also twice pulled double duty by working as acting communications director.
Trump favors hiring someone familiar to take Hicks' place, Politico reports. Among the current staff, director of strategic communications Mercedes Schlapp and assistant secretary for public affairs at the Treasury Department Tony Sayegh are seen as possible favorites. Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders could also shoulder the job.
Chief of Staff John Kelly reportedly has other ideas, preferring to hire from outside the White House to move the communications department toward "a more traditional structure" — and perhaps a slower rate of turnover. At present, Trump is on pace to have 11 communications directors in his first four years in office.