Looking back, other White House jobs became household words during the Watergate scandal of the 1970s that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. The first resignation had come within a month of Trump’s inauguration with the forced departure of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, and, with four chiefs of staff, turnover in just 32 months outpaced that of the five preceding presidents’ first full terms. White House jobs in the Trump administration, perhaps more than others in recent history, have made news-especially for the astounding turnover rate that topped 92% by the waning days of the term. Their moves make headlines, as new names are put forward, departing advisors might kiss and tell, and even the executive chef will be getting new marching orders. There are fewer and fewer of those too these days, it seems.As the administrations change in the White House, the jobs inside the executive mansion attract the public’s attention more than usual. If every new administration questions the loyalty of the existing staff then the country will have lost an important tradition in Washington. And you don’t know nothing.” Reid’s exit seems to be part of a trend of the politicization of a group of people who have a history of deep respect for the institution of the presidency. “There would be too many questions asked,” said Wilson Jerman, who worked at the White House as a housekeeper, butler, and part-time doorman during different periods from 1957 to 2010. Traditionally people on staff stay quiet about their jobs outside of work-mostly out of respect for the first family’s privacy but also for self preservation. (Reid could not immediately be reached for comment for this story.) One former residence employee said that Reid would single people out in staff meetings and that she instructed Secret Service agents standing near the Usher’s Office on the State Floor of the White House never to put their hands in their pockets she thought it looked unprofessional. Butlers and ushers have lamented that Reid lowered the staff’s morale considerably. She could be difficult to work for, according to three people who served with her in the White House. And it’s simply nothing more than that.” But there is more to it and it used to be very uncommon to make changes to the residence staff. Bush, but left abruptly two years into the Obama administration.Īt a White House press briefing Friday, deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that Reid “left on very good terms and wish her the very best.” She added: “It's not uncommon that you might have a transition of staff when a new administration comes in. Rochon served from 2007 to 2011, and was hired by President George W. And even though Melania Trump has not yet moved in-and President Trump is used to having staff at his beck and call (he has installed a small red button on the Resolute desk in the Oval Office to summon the butler to bring him a Diet Coke)-it seemed inevitable that Reid, who had been the manager of the Ritz-Carlton in suburban Washington before taking the job, would have to go at some point. Nothing could be more steeped in history than the long tradition of service in the White House. When the Obamas wanted a play set installed steps form the Oval Office for their then-young daughters, it was Chief Usher Stephen Rochon, a retired rear admiral, who flew to the swing set company headquarters in South Dakota to pick it out.īefore the election, residence staffers worried about Donald Trump’s rhetoric, especially one of his key promises to “drain the swamp” and change business as usual in Washington. If there is a problem with the menu, with the décor, with anything in the house, the First Lady and the social secretary report it to the chief usher. They hold the institutional knowledge about how events like the Easter egg roll and holiday parties have been held in the past. He or she is responsible for overseeing the funds allocated by Congress to run the house. The White House Usher’s Office is at the center of the finely tuned operation. There are approximately 95 full-time employees on the residence staff, these are the chefs, maids, florists, butlers and ushers who tend to the 132-room mansion that is the most recognizable symbol of the presidency. The continuance of this long tradition, and the White House residence staff’s singular exemption from partisanship, seemed to suffer grievous injury Friday when staffers learned that Chief Usher Angella Reid, hired by the Obamas in 2011-the first woman, and second African American, to hold the job-was reportedly asked to leave. In the last 132 years only nine people have held the position. Crim, who ran the White House executive residence from 1938 up until 1957, the chief usher has stayed put long after the president who hired him leaves office.
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