so long farewell
Trump's Hispanic communications head quietly steps down
Another day, another quiet departure from the White House.
Helen Aguirre Ferré has left her job as President Trump's director of media affairs for Hispanic and African-American news outlets, Strategic Communications Director Mercedes Schlapp confirmed to Univision late Wednesday. Ferré handled Spanish-speaking media for the Trump administration, a job that's now left to Schlapp.
Aguirre Ferré wasn't expected to leave Trump's team, seeing as she "went beyond her duties to secure her permanency in that office," a former colleague told Univision. In June, she loudly defended Trump's zero tolerance immigration policy — at a Latino Leaders Summit, no less. But as a former critic of Trump and his treatment of women, it also surprised coworkers that she joined this White House in the first place. Aguirre Ferré campaigned for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) in 2016, but switched to Trump's side after he secured the Republican nomination.
Carlos Díaz-Rosillo, another prominent Hispanic White House staffer, also left his spot as deputy assistant to the president a little more than a month ago. These two successive departures raise questions about the administration's commitment to Spanish speakers, Univision says. The White House website has no Spanish content 18 months into Trump's presidency, unlike the past two administrations.
Aguirre Ferré hasn't hinted at where she's headed next, but rumors swirl that she'll join the National Endowment for the Arts, Univision says.