In Memoriam: Trump’s Administrative Staff
One year, three months, and eleven days.
That is how long President Trump has been in office, and he has somehow had 20 notable members of his staff leave his team.
In days, that counts to one person leaving every 23.3 days. It seems that they can’t even last a month before someone moves onto better things. The idea of working in possibly the highest office in western society isn’t enticing enough for some to stay, for one reason or another; maybe they just ‘don’t like Washington,’ like Hope Hicks. I think a job as Senior Communications Director for the President would make me like Washington enough to stay, but maybe it isn’t the city she doesn’t like. Let’s take a look at some of those who have left or been fired from the Trump Administration:
Sally Yates: FIRED, first to leave the Trump Administration, served 11 days
Perhaps she is lucky, being able to say she only served under the president for 11 days, but Yates served from the day of Trump’s Inauguration until January 3oth. She was fired for encouraging attorneys not to defend Trump’s first executive order, commonly known as the ‘Muslim Ban.’
Mike Flynn: FORCED TO RESIGN, served 25 days
Flynn was promoted to National Security Advisor and just three weeks later was forced to resign. His resignation came after it was revealed that he misinformed Vice President Mike Pence about the nature of meetings with Russian ambassadors before Trump’s inauguration.
James Comey: FIRED, served Obama before Trump, total 1344 days
Considerably the most controversial exit from the Trump Administration, it was first said Comey was ‘dismissed’ over the handling of Hillary Clinton’s email scandal. Trump later states it was his decision alone and he dismissed Comey over the FBI’s Russian election interference probe.
Sean Spicer: RESIGNED, served 183 days
As White House Press Secretary, Spicey (an SNL given nickname) served faithfully under Trump but left just hours after Scaramucci joined the press team. He said the press team needed a ‘fresh start.’ Only 183 days in, and they needed a fresh start?
Anthony Scaramucci: PUSHED TO RESIGN, served a total 6 days
Scaramucci took Spicer’s place and yet managed to stay a mere 6 days, after The New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza published a detailed phone conversation he held with Scaramucci. The phone call consisted of ‘inappropriate comments from someone in his position,’ said White House Press Secretary Sanders, in relation to Scaramucci.
Steve Bannon: FIRED, served 211 days
Due to his nationalist background, Bannon joining the team was met with lots of backlash. However, his firing came from Trump’s ‘increasing frustations with Bannon,’ said a White House official.
Tom Price: RESIGNED, first cabinet member to leave his post, served 232 days
After a controversy over his use of tax dollars for private jets, the Secretary of Health and Human Services said, “I have spent forty years both as a doctor and public servant putting people first. I regret that the recent events have created a distraction from these important objectives,” in his resignation letter to Trump.
Hope Hicks: RESIGNED, served 405 days
Hicks was the longest serving aide before she announced her resignation; her resignation came just a day after she was interviewed by the House Intelligence Committee, during which she said she had occasionally told white lies on Trump’s behalf. Whether or not this had anything to do with her departure, Hicks left the White House with nothing but positive comments.
Rex Tillerson: FIRED, second agency secretary to leave, served 406 days
Not much was said over Tillerson’s departure. The President announced he was being replaced by CIA Director Mike Pompeo and noted the differences in how Tillerson and Trump felt over the Iran nuclear weapons deal.
David Shulkin: FIRED, served 408 days
Shulkin penned an op-ed detailing the “toxic, chaotic, disrespectful and subversive” environment in Washington that he says prevented him from preforming fully for his job and duties as Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Trump tweeted about his departure, stating that Adm. Ronny L. Jackson, the president’s physician, will be taking over as head of the agency.
H.R McCaster: Departure is ‘mutually agreed upon,’ served 413 days
His departure was “expected and planned” for early 2018, and McCaster’s position as National Security Advisor was filled by John Bolton. Bolton served as one of former President George Bush’s ambassadors to the United Nations.
Other departures not mentioned above: John McEntee, Mike Dubke, Gary Cohn, Rob Porter, Dina Powell, Sebastian Gorka, and Omarosa Manigault-Newman.
See: ABC NEWS
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