Hope Hicks didn't plan on hanging out with President Trump on Air Force One last weekend. But with a little bit of convincing, White House staffers successfully pulled the ex-communications director to a Trump rally Sunday in Ohio.
They're hoping that same Trumpian vacuum will drag Hicks back in for the president's 2020 campaign, 10 Republicans and officials tell Politico.
Hicks left the West Wing in February amid a harsh media firestorm surrounding her relationship with ex-White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter. Porter resigned after two of his ex-wives alleged domestic abuse. So Hicks, looking to escape the bustle of Washington, headed to Manhattan to explore careers in fashion and finance, people close to her told Politico. They also said that she's interested in getting involved with Trump's 2020 campaign, though Hicks herself has been a lot less forthcoming.
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But administration officials aren't keeping so quiet. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told Politico that "it would be a win across the board for the president" if Hicks got involved in 2020, and a campaign official joked she was joining "season two" of the Trump show. Hicks, who apparently vowed she'd never work in Washington again, hasn't indicated if she'll tune in.
Read more about Hicks' wary return to the spotlight at Politico.
