Hope Hicks should replace John Kelly as White House chief of staff
Hope Hicks should replace John Kelly as White House chief of staff
by Ryan Girdusky
June 28, 2018 06:18 PM
Sources from the White House have been buzzing that John Kelly’s time as chief of staff may be coming to an end soon, and the race to replace him has already begun. Rather than looking to other members of the White House or various politicians and advisers, President Trump should bring back one of his most trusted and loyal advisers, Hope Hicks.
Hicks, the former White House director of communication, has experience working with Trump, providing her with invaluable insight into how Trump works. Unlike any other candidate he may be considering, she doesn’t need a learning curve and possesses the most important qualities that the president cares about: loyalty, independence, and a calming presence during chaos. Not to mention the historical importance of selecting Hicks: She’d be the youngest and first female White House chief of staff.
Hicks’ loyalty is undeniable and would be extremely important as an increasing number of establishment Republicans, most of whom did not vote for Trump either in the primary or in the general, have made their way into the administration. Unlike so many of the social climbers who want to replace Kelly, Hicks is not an ideologue. She’s not trying to make a name for herself, elevate certain political causes, or resurrect Bush-era policies like several others in the White House. She is not beholden to anyone besides Trump. She and only she will be fighting for Trump's MAGA agenda because, like the president, she’s an outsider.
For a more practical reason, Trump should select Hicks because of her work experience in the White House, calming presence, and ability to deal with crisis. Axios’ Jonathan Swan wrote that Hicks organized some of the great moments for the president, like his listening session on gun violence. He also noted that she has understood Trump best, had the president’s best interests at heart, and believes in Trump.
Picking Hicks would also help Trump connect with his base, as many of them feel like the MAGA agenda is being derailed by establishment Republicans who increasingly populate Trump’s White House. Many people in Trump’s base believe that the White House has been filled with former "Never Trumpers" who campaigned against him in the primary, disagree with him on policy, and work to enact their own agenda instead of his.
Hicks being appointed chief of staff would stem the tide of former opponents of the president filling the West Wing. Hicks would be a refreshing change, because she’s not an adherent to ideology like former President George W. Bush's appointees, Vice President Mike Pence's staffers, or the Republican National Committee's hacks.
A chief of staff has many roles, especially making suggestions and appointing people to executive positions inside the West Wing. During Kelly’s tenure, the number of establishment Republicans and former "Never Trumpers" finding work inside the White House grew exponentially. Hicks wouldn’t be solely recruiting from the same well of staffers that Kelly or Priebus did. Having actually supported Trump during the campaign allows Hicks to look for fellow true believers in Trump instead of people trying to become permanent parts of the administrative state.
Robert Mueller’s witch hunt may have been responsible for driving Hicks from the White House, but Trump should bring her back with open arms and offer her the chief of staff position when it opens up. Unlike almost anyone else in Washington, she’ll be fighting for him.
Ryan Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential blog. He is a writer based in New York.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/o...chief-of-staff
