Hope Hicks to return to White House

Hope Hicks is returning to the White House as a counselor to President Trump and senior adviser.

Trump’s former communications director will work as a senior adviser for Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner’s office, the White House confirmed Thursday. 

Hicks is likely to return to the White House sometime in early March, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said, though she noted that “details are still being determined.” 

One of the president’s longest-serving aides, Hicks stepped down from her position in February 2018. She has since been working as an executive vice president and chief communications officer at Fox, which operates properties like Fox News and Fox Sports. 

Hicks was one of the president’s closest advisers dating back to the launch of his campaign in 2015 and worked in the press office at the White House, including as communications director. 

Hicks has a strong relationship with the president and a number of other administration officials, though much has changed since she last worked in the West Wing.

Since her departure, former special counsel Robert Mueller has concluded his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, Democrats won control of the House and impeached the president and Trump was acquitted in the Senate. Trump has cycled through another chief of staff and a few more Cabinet secretaries as well.

Allies of the White House cheered the development. 

“Hope is not only someone with a deep understanding of President Trump, she is immensely loyal to him and his agenda,” said Andy Surabian, a GOP strategist and former White House official who worked with Hicks. 

“Above all else, she is an extremely talented operative who I am sure will serve the president and the American people well in her new role. The White House is lucky to get her back,” Surabian said.

The former model and public relations professional was involved in a handful of controversial incidents during her first stint working for Trump.

She reportedly helped organize the initial response to domestic abuse allegations against former staff secretary Rob Porter, who resigned even as then-chief of staff John Kelly and others defended his character. Hicks was dating Porter at the time.

Hicks was at the center of controversy last summer when she was called to testify before Congress as part of a House Judiciary Committee probe stemming from Mueller’s investigation. 

Hicks, who appeared behind closed doors, refused to answer dozens of questions on instructions from the White House that she was immune from compelled congressional testimony about her tenure as a former senior aide to the president.

She is the latest Trump official to cycle between the administration and Fox. While Hicks did not work for Fox News, a number of former staffers have transitioned between the two.

Former press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is now a Fox contributor, former communications director Bill Shine came from the network, and former Fox News employee Kimberly Guilfoyle now works with the president’s campaign.

— This report was updated at 11:28 a.m.