Trump Will Need a New White House Press Secretary

Sarah Huckabee Sanders is leaving the post, president announces
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 13, 2019 3:45 PM CDT
Sarah Huckabee Sanders Leaving White House Post
In this Jan. 28, 2019, file photo, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington.   (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Yet more turnover at the White House: Sarah Huckabee Sanders is leaving her position as press secretary at the end of the month, President Trump announced in a tweet Thursday. CNN says Sanders "largely redefined the position" of press secretary during her "tumultuous" time in the role, which she took over from Sean Spicer in July 2017. Prior to that, she had served in other roles dating back to Trump's 2016 campaign, per the Hill. "After 3½ years, our wonderful Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be leaving the White House at the end of the month and going home to the Great State of Arkansas," Trump tweeted, adding, "She is a very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job! I hope she decides to run for Governor of Arkansas—she would be fantastic. Sarah, thank you for a job well done!"

Two sources tell CNN Sanders is indeed considering a run for office rather than a media position as her next role, and they say she has floated the idea of a gubernatorial run in private conversations. But unless recently re-elected Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is appointed to another job or steps down early, his job isn't open until 2023. As for why her departure matters, Axios' take: "Sanders has long been one of President Trump's fiercest and most loyal defenders, and became notorious for her combative exchanges with reporters and—toward the latter part of her tenure—lack of press briefings (it's been 94 days since the last one). As Axios' Jonathan Swan notes, by the end Sanders wasn't really a press secretary. She was a top adviser who Trump consulted on just about everything." (CNBC notes the White House currently has no communications director, with the most recent person in the role, Bill Shine, having departed in March.)

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