The White House removed a prime public affairs official at the Division of Homeland Safety in a move that shocked many in the division because it takes a lead position in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, in line with two former senior DHS officers acquainted with the matter.
Heather Swift, who was DHS’s deputy assistant secretary of public affairs, was abruptly pushed out of her place on Friday after the Presidential Personnel Office raised questions on her loyalty to President Donald Trump, stated one of many former DHS officers.
The personnel workplace might have discovered some previous social media postings that officers there did not like, this individual stated, though POLITICO was unable to seek out any examples of posts the Trump administration may find objectionable.
Swift, who has not but left the department, is shifting to a prime communications job on the National Endowment for the Arts, a detour properly outdoors the administration’s energy corridors.
The switch represents a recent blow to Swift’s profession aspirations: Several months in the past, after serving for a couple of months in an appearing capacity as the highest public affairs official at DHS, she angled for that job completely -- only to be disillusioned when she was not promoted, in line with a Trump administration official. The position as an alternative went to Dirk Vande Beek, a veteran communications strategist who came from the Division of Power and in addition worked on the 2000 Bush-Cheney marketing campaign.
Since taking up PPO, 29-year-old John McEntee has asked Cabinet businesses to probe the data of political appointees and ferret out any who may present indicators of disloyalty to the president. McEntee, a former school quarterback recognized for his trick performs and a longtime Trump favorite, has also come underneath hearth inside the administration for just lately hiring three college seniors for sensitive jobs.
One former official pushed back onerous on the notion that Swift had been anti-Trump in any method and referred to as her a Trump “acolyte” who “loves the president” and didn't need to depart the division. Swift has been a very good workforce participant, was popular with her employees and colleagues and has labored onerous to realize the department’s mission, this individual stated.
Swift and DHS didn't present a remark for this story, and a White Home spokesperson declined to deal with Swift’s switch, citing a policy of not commenting on inner personnel issues.
Swift has been within the Trump administration since early 2017, having joined as press secretary for former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke earlier than turning into senior adviser on the department. Zinke resigned in December 2018 after a number of probes into whether he used his place for private achieve, nevertheless, and Swift subsequently moved to DHS last August.
Previously, she had worked as Zinke’s communications director when he was in Congress. She also worked on other Republican campaigns, together with a brief stint as press secretary for Tommy Thompson during his unsuccessful bid for a U.S. Senate seat in 2012.
Src: White House abruptly transfers DHS official amid loyalty purge
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