Top White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley will depart his role to become the national press secretary for President Trump’s re-election campaign.
Gidley is set to fill the vacancy left in the Trump campaign after Kayleigh McEnany moved to the White House in April to become its press secretary.
Trump aides told Politico in a report published Tuesday that they were seeking someone who could help coordinate between the White House and campaign. Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh will continue spearheading the campaign press office.
Politico reported that Gidley had been in talks with the Trump campaign for around a month.
Gidley said in a statement that he is “overwhelmingly humbled and deeply appreciative” to the President for his tenure at the White House and that he “can’t wait to get over to the campaign and fight for his re-election.”
Both the White House and Trump campaign praised the move as well.
The President had an enthusiastic reaction to Gidley’s move in a tweet.
Hogan Gidley will be leaving the White House on July 1 and heading over to my campaign to be the National Press Secretary. He is a strong, loyal and trusted member of the team that I know will do an outstanding job! We must WIN this election! Follow him at @JHoganGidley.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 23, 2020
McEnany told TPM in a statement that she considers Gidley to be “an invaluable member” of the White House’s press team and praised him for being an “expert at communicating” the President’s message to Americans.
“His skills and experience will be missed at the White House but will excel in his new role,” McEnany wrote.
Jared Kushner, Trump’s adviser and son-in law, told TPM in a statement that Gidley’s “two decades of prior campaign experience combined with his deep knowledge of the Administration make him an invaluable addition.”
Gidley worked in campaign politics for decades prior to serving as a top White House spokesperson for nearly three years. He previously worked on the presidential campaigns of Mike Huckabee — the father of former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders — and Rick Santorum as well as the Senate campaign for Elizabeth Dole. Gidley also served as executive director of the South Carolina Republican Party.
