On Monday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders held a press briefing to kick off the week, and numerous questions were about the recent resignation of White House staffers over domestic abuse allegations.
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Also last week White House speechwriter David Sorenson resigned after a news report detailed allegations of abuse by his ex-wife.
As the controversy stretches into a new week, the unresolved details only furthered the impression of an administration in damage control mode. Now the most frequent charge against Mexicans, especially immigrants, is that they “steal” American jobs by working harder and for less pay than others. In fact, as early as January 2017, at the very outset of the Trump administration, Porter himself evidently alerted the White House Counsel, Don McGahn, that the security clearance background check would likely uncover derogatory information. “I view her as an invaluable asset to the president and us all”.
The White House insisted Sunday that Donald Trump was “shocked and disturbed” by allegations of domestic abuse that led two staffers to resign, after the president faced flak for saying lives were being ruined by possibly false claims. “Domestic violence is abhorrent and has no place in our society”. Some aides in that meeting privately questioned Kelly’s account, thinking his version of events was self-serving, according to one official with knowledge of the meeting but not authorized to discuss it publicly.
White House Budget Chief Mick Mulvaney on Sunday argued that it was “normal and reasonable” for the White House to defend a staffer who had been accused of spousal abuse.
Sanders argued that a statement she read from the president served as his personal condemnation of domestic violence. And she says the president believes that all allegations need to be investigated thoroughly.
The week also cast a harsh spotlight on Hope Hicks, the White House communications director, who was dating the staff secretary. Like many conservatives who support much of President Donald Trump’s policy agenda but abhor the man, I was hopeful when John Kelly replaced a weak Reince Priebus to become a strong chief of staff to an undisciplined president. His evidence, one person familiar with the matter said, was a photo The Intercept published showing one ex-wife, Colbie Holderness, with a black eye she said had been inflicted by Porter. Trump has, however, queried his roster of friends and outside advisers about potential replacements for his chief of staff.
For the president, Porter’s departure is regrettable, because “he did a very good job” in the White House. “That the work Rob was doing in the White House was of higher value than our mental, emotional or physical well-being”.
“Rob Porter has been effective in his role as staff secretary”.
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“He literally dictated that statement to me”, she said.
