Trump says ousted personal assistant made ‘hurtful’ comments about his family to reporters – Houston Chronicle

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump mentioned he pushed aside his personal assistant, Madeleine Westerhout, after she divulged personal recordsdata about the Trump family at some point soon of an off-the-file dinner with newshounds.

“I judge it became as soon as automatic,” Trump told newshounds Friday of Westerhout’s departure. “I impact now now not snort ‘fire’ or ‘now now not fire.’ I in actuality judge she had a contaminated night. I judge it became as soon as sad. She mentioned she became as soon as ingesting.”

Trump mentioned he spoke by telephone Friday to Westerhout, who became as soon as “very upset” and explained that she mentioned “things about my kids” to newshounds off the file.

“I judge the clicking is terribly dishonest since it became as soon as purported to be off the file,” he mentioned. “But, calm, you impact now now not snort things take care of she mentioned which had been honest a piece bit hurtful to a pair of alternative folks.”

Westerhout, one in every of the few aides remaining from the earliest days of Trump’s administration, all correct now departed from her White Dwelling put up this week.

Westerhout saved a low public profile even supposing she became as soon as one in every of the more influential participants of Trump’s team of aides, with a desk honest delivery air the Oval Office. Her telephone on a typical foundation buzzed with calls from lawmakers and other prime officers searching for to web thru to the president.

The White Dwelling did now now not initially acknowledge to requests for comment about Westerhout’s ouster, leaving her abrupt departure shrouded in mystery for hours. Trump, who praised Westerhout as “a correct person,” did now now not specify what recordsdata Westerhout divulged about his family.

The New York Cases reported Thursday that Westerhout had been forced out after Trump realized of her feedback in the off-the-file dinner with newshounds, which took notify earlier this month in New Jersey. Politico reported Friday that Westerhout had made feedback bragging about having an even bigger relationship with Trump than the president’s enjoy daughters, Ivanka and Tiffany. Politico furthermore reported that Westerhout mentioned Trump did now now not are trying to be considered in photography with Tiffany thanks to her weight.

Trump known as the allegations “totally faux.”

“I take care of Tiffany,” Trump told newshounds Friday.

Westerhout’s first rate notify became as soon as “director of Oval Office operations.” An aide for Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., mentioned Manchin on the total known as Westerhout to web thru to Trump.

In February, after Axios printed leaked copies of Trump’s personal time desk with copious amounts of free time, Westerhout criticized the leak and defended the president.

“What a disgraceful breach of belief to leak schedules,” she wrote on Twitter. “What these impact now now not remark are the hundreds of calls and meetings @realDonaldTrump takes daily.”

Westerhout became as soon as one in every of six White Dwelling officers reprimanded final year for violating the Hatch Act, consistent with the Office of Special Counsel. That regulation bars federal workers from undertaking politics at some point soon of work.

A worn aide for the Republican National Committee, Westerhout furthermore worked on presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s 2012 marketing campaign. She snappy grew to became a fixture in Trump’s inner circle, serving as personal assistant and gatekeeper for the president.

Trump told The Washington Put up’s Bob Woodward final year that Westerhout became as soon as the person to contact in expose to instantly reach him on the White Dwelling.

“Madeleine is the precious,” Trump mentioned. “She’s the secret.”