Three months with Trump is enough for White House spin doctor Mike Dubke
Mike Duke: gone almost before moved into his office. Photo: Black Rock Group
US President Donald Trump’s communications director, Mike Dubke, has resigned from his White House post only three months after taking the job.
White House advisor Kellyanne Conway broke the news during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, revealing Mr Dubke had agreed to stick around to help Mr Trump on his first overseas trip to the Middle East and Europe that ended on Saturday.
“He has expressed his desire to leave the White House and made very clear he would see through the president’s international trip,” Ms Conway said.
According to Axios News, Mr Dubke, a communications firm owner brought into the administration in March, resigned on May 18, but did not set a last day and is leaving on good terms.
In a note to colleagues published by the New York Times, Mr Dubke said the reasons for his departure were “personal”.
“But it has been my great honour to serve President Trump and his admin. It has also been my distinct pleasure to work side by side, day by day, with the staff of the communications and press depts. This White House is filled with some of the finest and hardest working men and women in the American government,” he wrote in the letter.
Ms Conway also played down persistent rumours White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who has been pilloried on comedy shows, was on his way out.
Mr Spicer will keep his job despite a reorganisation of White House communications strategy meaning he will hold fewer on-camera press briefings.
The larger strategic shake-up is part of an effort to tackle allegations involving communication between Russia and Mr Trump’s presidential campaign, including a “war room” to combat mounting questions and multiple probes.
According to administration officials and persons close to Mr Trump, the president plans to bring in new aides to the White House, adding experienced political professionals including his former campaign manager.
Corey Lewandowski, a former campaign manager for Mr Trump, was spotted leaving the White House on Monday, prompting speculation he could soon be joining the “war room”.
Mr Lewandowski was fired from the Trump campaign in mid-2016 after he was charged with misdemeanour for grabbing a reporter attempting to ask the then-presidential candidate a question. The charge was later dropped.
At the time, CNN reported Mr Trump’s daughter Ivanka convinced her father to fire Mr Lewandowski after rumours swirled he was planting negative stories about her husband, Jared Kushner, in the press.
Further changes may also include more lawyers to handle the Russia probe as part of the effort to tackle a scandal that has threatened to consume Trump’s young presidency.
Mr Trump will also reportedly take more questions directly from the media.
In a tweet early on Tuesday, Mr Trump shot back against the Russia probes, writing: “Russian officials must be laughing at the US & how a lame excuse for why the Dems lost the election has taken over the Fake News.”
– with AAP