Ex-White House aide who sued Trump overseeing speechwriting for convention

Cliff Sims, an ex-White House communications aide who wrote a book about his time in the Trump administration and sued the president, is playing a role overseeing speechwriting and messaging for this week’s Republican National Convention.

A Republican source close to the Trump campaign confirmed that Sims is leading the speechwriting and messaging for the convention. Sims was involved in the drafting remarks delivered by President Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., on Monday evening, the first night of the convention.

ABC News first reported that Sims had assumed a role in the convention planning. In a statement to ABC, Trump Jr. described Sims as a “staunch supporter of my father and his America First agenda.”

“He fought to elect President Trump on the 2016 campaign and has done a terrific job as Alabama co-chair of Trump Victory this year.” Trump Jr. said in the statement. “I’m excited that he’s now working with the convention team to help make this year’s RNC a gigantic success.”

Sims served on the Trump campaign and later oversaw the White House messaging strategy from the beginning of the administration until May 2018.

He went on to write and publish “Team of Vipers: My 500 Extraordinary Days in the Trump White House,” a critical account of his time there. Sims sued Trump in February 2019 after the president’s campaign filed an arbitration claim alleging that the book violated a nondisclosure agreement signed during the 2016 presidential cycle.

Trump criticized Sims over the book last year, calling him a “low level staffer” and a “gofer” whose book was based on “stories and fiction.”

A low level staffer that I hardly knew named Cliff Sims wrote yet another boring book based on made up stories and fiction. He pretended to be an insider when in fact he was nothing more than a gofer. He signed a non-disclosure agreement. He is a mess!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2019

Sims eventually dropped the suit.

Trump Jr. delivered his convention speech on Monday evening, branding Democratic nominee Joe Biden the “Loch Ness monster of the swamp” and warning that his economic policies would hurt working Americans.

Overall, Monday evening’s program sought to rebut the narrative at the Democratic National Convention last week by featuring positive testimony about Trump’s character and his response to the novel coronavirus. The program included speeches from ordinary Americans, conservative celebrities and mainstream Republican figures.

Several of the speakers, including Trump Jr., also put forth warnings about the country’s pathway under a Biden administration and accused the former vice president of embracing a radical left-wing agenda.

Tuesday evening’s program will feature remarks from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, first lady Melania Trump and others. Trump will make more than one appearance during Tuesday’s program, according to the campaign, though he’s not likely to deliver prepared remarks. Trump will deliver his speech accepting the GOP nomination from the White House grounds on Thursday night.