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Hope Hicks
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| Hope Hicks | |||
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| Basic facts | |||
| Organization: | Donald Trump presidential administration | ||
| Role: | Former assistant to the president | ||
| Location: | Washington, D.C. | ||
| Education: | Southern Methodist University | ||
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Hope Hicks is a communications and public relations consultant. She was assistant and counselor to the president in Donald Trump's (R) presidential administration. She was also the communications director and director of strategic communications in Trump's administration.[1][2]
On February 28, 2018, she announced that she would resign as communications director. In a statement, Hicks said, "There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to President Trump. I wish the president and his administration the very best as he continues to lead our country."[3] She officially resigned on March 30, 2018.[4]
Trump responded in the following statement: “Hope is outstanding and has done great work for the last three years. She is as smart and thoughtful as they come, a truly great person. I will miss having her by my side, but when she approached me about pursuing other opportunities, I totally understood. I am sure we will work together again in the future.”[5]
She previously worked as the press secretary and communications director for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and as a communications consultant with the Trump Organization.[6]
Early career
After graduating from Southern Methodist University in 2010, Hicks began working for the public relations firm Zeno Group.[7] She then moved to Hiltzik Strategies in New York City. While at Hiltzik, according to The Washington Post, Hicks "began working on accounts related to Trump’s vast real estate, hospitality and fashion ventures." She then moved to the Trump Organization in 2014.[8] Matthew Hiltzik, head of the company, told the New York Post, "She understands the different personalities. Hope has a great work ethic and a constant willingness to learn and adjust — and the right temperament to roll with the punches."[6]
Hicks began her work in the Trump Organization working with Trump's daughter, fashion designer Ivanka, until early 2015.[7] In addition to doing public relations work with Ivanka, Hicks modeled her clothing.[9]
Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016
On June 16, 2015, Trump announced his bid for the presidency at Trump Tower in New York City.[10] In January 2015, six months before announcing his candidacy, Trump called Hicks to his office to discuss a potential run. Hicks described the moment to New York Magazine, saying, "Mr. Trump looked at me and said, ‘I’m thinking about running for president, and you’re going to be my press secretary.’ ... I think it’s ‘the year of the outsider.’ It helps to have people with outsider perspective."[11]
Campaign role
Hicks' role in the campaign was as a spokesperson and as a communications director. In July 2015, The Washington Post reported that she was involved in Trump's Twitter account, noting that she sometimes "takes dictation and sends the words to aides" to then be tweeted.[8] She also offered strategic communication advice to Trump, who told The New York Times, "I’m lucky to have her. ... She’s got very good judgment. She will often give advice, and she’ll do it in a very low-key manner, so it doesn’t necessarily come in the form of advice. But it’s delivered very nicely."[12]
Public image
For the most part, Hicks maintained a background role in the campaign, as media appearances were handled by Trump's spokesperson Katrina Pierson. Hicks, on the other hand, worked alongside Trump during print interviews. In a 2015 candidate interview for GQ, Hicks sat in with Trump, often clarifying his comments. When Trump was asked about whether he shook hands, Hicks provided the answer: "He's been doing it. Thirty thousand people at a rally the other week—he shook a lot of hands."[13] Although she regularly fielded campaign emails, Hicks rarely spoke in public; according to AdWeek, she "deleted all of her social media accounts" prior to Trump's candidacy.[14]
Donald Trump presidential transition team
Hicks was a member of Donald Trump's presidential transition team. The transition team was a group of around 100 aides, policy experts, government affairs officials, and former government officials who were tasked with vetting, interviewing, and recommending individuals for top cabinet and staff roles in Trump's administration. According to the CT Post, Hicks was given a "staff leadership" position on the team.[15]
Donald Trump presidential administration
- See also: Donald Trump White House staff
On December 22, 2016, Trump announced that Hicks would serve as the director of strategic communication in the White House.[2] In May 2017, Axios reported that Hicks was among the few staffers—along with son-in-law Jared Kushner, daughter Ivanka Trump, and bodyguard Keith Schiller—in the White House considered to be part of Trump's inner circle.[16]
Statement on Trump management style
On May 30, 2017, Hicks issued a statement concerning Trump's management style in the White House. In a report the day before, The Washington Post claimed, "Trump prefers a management style in which even compliments can come laced with a bite, and where enduring snubs and belittling jokes, even in public, is part of the job."[17] In response, Hicks issued the following statement:[18]
| “ | President Trump has a magnetic personality and exudes positive energy, which is infectious to those around him. He has an unparalleled ability to communicate with people, whether he is speaking to a room of three or an arena of 30,000. He has built great relationships throughout his life and treats everyone with respect. He is brilliant with a great sense of humor … and an amazing ability to make people feel special and aspire to be more than even they thought possible.[19] | ” |
Promotion to communications director
On August 16, 2017, The Daily Caller reported that Hicks had been offered and accepted the position of communications director for the Trump administration.[1] Initially, Hicks took on the position in an interim role.[20] On September 12, 2017, the White House confirmed that Hicks would work as the communications director, according to Politico.[21]
Top influencers by state
Influencers in American politics are power players who help get candidates elected, put through policy proposals, cause ideological changes, and affect popular perceptions. They can take on many forms: politicians, lobbyists, advisors, donors, corporations, industry groups, labor unions, single-issue organizations, nonprofits, to name a few.
In 2016, Ballotpedia identified Hope Hicks as a top influencer by state. We identified top influencers across the country through several means, including the following:
- Local knowledge of our professional staff
- Surveys of activists, thought leaders and journalists from across the country and political spectrum
- Outreach to political journalists in each state who helped refine our lists
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Daily Caller, "EXCLUSIVE: Hope Hicks To Be Named White House Comms Director," August 16, 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The New York Times, "Trump Rewards Kellyanne Conway With a Top White House Staff Slot," December 22, 2016
- ↑ The Hill, "Hope Hicks resigns from White House," February 28, 2018
- ↑ The Hill, "Trump bids farewell to Hope Hicks," March 29, 2018
- ↑ The New York Times, "Hope Hicks to Resign as White House Communications Director," February 28, 2018
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 New York Post, "Meet Trump’s 26-year-old mystery woman," September 25, 2015
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 NewsTimes, "Greenwich natives help Trump, Bush and Obama hone their message," August 4, 2015
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Washington Post, "Hope Hicks flies quietly in the eye of the Trump storm," July 27, 2015
- ↑ Ivanka Trump, "How Hope Wears the Spring Collection," April 14, 2015
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Donald Trump Enters 2016 Presidential Race," June 16, 2015
- ↑ New York Magazine, "Operation Trump: Inside the most unorthodox campaign in political history," April 3, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "The Woman Who ‘Totally Understands’ Donald Trump," June 24, 2016
- ↑ GQ, "This Donald Trump Interview Is the Best. You’re Gonna Love It.," November 23, 2015
- ↑ AdWeek, "Who’s Handled PR for Donald Trump? Vets of Hiltzik, Golin and More," July 28, 2015
- ↑ CT Post, "Hope & change: The breakout star of Trump’s campaign," November 14, 2016
- ↑ Axios, "Trump's inner circle is getting smaller," May 13, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Snubs and slights are part of the job in Trump’s White House," May 29, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Post, "This White House statement on Trump’s ‘positive energy’ reads like a parody," May 30, 2017
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Politico, "Trump's shrinking West Wing," August 30, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Hope Hicks to be named White House communications director," September 12, 2017
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