‘I WORK FOR THE PRESIDENT’
The Trumps’ new White House social secretary is positive and unflappable — and she’ll need to be.
Before Rickie Niceta became White House social secretary, she had never met either Donald or Melania Trump. Never, in fact, even seen an episode of “The Apprentice.” By her own admission, she’s not political and certainly not partisan. But like everyone else in America, she’d heard all the stories.
And here’s what happened: When she sat down with the first lady, she decided within minutes that she wanted to work for her. And as she got to know the president, she says, she found him to be patriotic, loyal and gracious.
For the past four months, Niceta has been helping the couple entertain world leaders, politicians and other guests in the White House. Her job is outside the political fray, the calm eye of the hurricane that is the Trump administration. And she’s determined to block out the noise as much as possible and create a relaxed “presidential” atmosphere for the first family and every person who walks through the door.
“It’s not that I’m in denial that there’s a whole part of this that I’m just not part of,” she says. “But when I bring the president into this space, politics are left at the door. And he is the best version of himself for everyone around him. If they could see what I see very often, it would be wonderful.”
That’s a hard sell. Millions of Americans can’t see anything positive about this deeply divisive president, although even some critics concede that Trump can be charismatic and charming in private, if and when it suits him. Then again, Niceta likes everyone she meets.
“I always get that,” she says with a laugh. But yes, she is relentlessly optimistic, quick to forgive and determined to find something admi-
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