Few figures within President Donald Trump's administration have prompted as much interest and speculation as Hope Hicks, the mysterious communications director who had no political experience before she joined the Trump campaign. In no time, however, Hicks rose to the top echelons of the White House.
Her close-knit relationship with Trump has been thrust into a new light in recent days, as Hicks has reportedly emerged as a focal point in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and potential collusion with the Trump campaign.
Hicks has also come under increasing criticism by those inside and outside President Donald Trump's inner circle, who say she treats Trump in a way that enables his most impulsive
behavior.
Here's what people have to say about Hope Hicks:
Though Hicks had no experience in politics, she was already a well-trained PR representative from the powerhouse firm Hiltzik Strategies when the Trumps hired her in 2014, and she comes from a family of high-profile communications experts.
Sources: Business Insider, Los Angeles Times
Hicks is intensely private and rarely grants interviews to journalists on the record. But others have been eager to sing her praises, describing her as fiercely loyal to Trump and highly effective at reading his moods.
Sources: The New York Times
"Her most important role is her bond with the candidate," then-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort said of Hicks in 2016. "She totally understands him."
Source: The New York Times
"My father makes people earn his trust. She's earned his trust," Ivanka Trump said of Hicks.
Source: The New York Times
Trump himself frequently speaks out in support of her. "I'm lucky to have her," he said in 2016. "She will often give advice, and she'll do it in a very low-key manner, so it doesn't necessarily come off in the form of advice. But it's delivered very nicely," he said.
Source: The New York Times
Trump affectionately calls her "Hopester" or "Hopie" — though she still calls him "Mr. Trump."
Sources: The New York Times, Politico
But she's steadfast in her loyalty, and is said to speak effusively of Trump even when off-duty. She once begged guests at a golf club not to worry about his presidency after she overheard them discussing their fears. "I promise, he's a good person!" she said.
Source: Politico
But Hicks' proximity to Trump has concerned some of those who know her and who fear her association with him could tarnish her future career prospects. "There are times when I would like to voice my opinion," one family friend said.
Source: The New York Times
Meanwhile, others in Trump's and Hicks' circle have grown irritated by what they view as her tendency to enable Trump during his most impulsive or self-destructive moments.
Sources: The New York Times, Politico
No comments:
Post a Comment