Trump spin doctor quits White House in blow for President

Resignation: Hope Hicks WHITE House communications director Hope Hicks, one of US President Donald Trump’s most loyal aides, is resigning.

The departure of one of the President’s longest-serving advisers came as a surprise to most in the White House.

The news comes a day after Ms Hicks was interviewed for nine hours by the House panel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and contact between Mr Trump’s campaign and Russia.

In a statement, Mr Trump praised Ms Hicks for her work over the last three years, saying he “will miss having her by my side”.

Ms Hicks has been a central participant in or witness to nearly every milestone and controversy of the Trump campaign and White House.

She began her tenure as director of strategic communications — a title that only partly captured her more expansive role as the President’s gatekeeper to the Press.

Ms Hicks acknowledged to a House intelligence panel on Tuesday that she has occasionally told “white lies” for Mr Trump. But she said she had not lied about anything relevant to the Russia investigation.

She has also been interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller in his expansive probe of Russian interference of the 2016 election and potential misdeeds committed by those in the President’s orbit.

Ms Hicks said in a statement: “There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to President Trump.”

A former fashion model and public relations professional who worked for Mr Trump’s daughter Ivanka, Ms Hicks (29) had no political background when Trump gave her a job.

Ms Hicks, who has long tried to avoid media attention, was thrust into the spotlight recently when it was revealed she had been dating former Staff Secretary Rob Porter. He left the administration after accusations that he had abused his two exwives became public.