Hope Hicks To Depart Fox For Return To White House

Hope Hicks is departing from her role as the top communications officer for Fox and returning to the White House.

White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said on Thursday that she will be working for Jared Kushner’s office as counselor to the president and senior adviser. Kushner is Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser.

Hicks has been executive vice president and chief communications officer for Fox Corporation. She joined the company last fall.

She succeeded Julie Henderson (now at Snap Inc.) in the post at Fox, steering the company through the closing of the $71.3 billion acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox by The Walt Disney Co. and the subsequent start of trading by Fox Corporation. The streamlined new entity consists mostly of Fox News, the Fox broadcast network, Fox Sports and a string of local TV stations. It has posted solid financial results but its stock has stayed flat since it started trading last March.

Hicks, 31, was one of President Donald Trump’s most trusted advisers, having been part of the Trump family orbit since her early 20s, having worked for Ivanka Trump’s apparel and licensing brand. That led to a full-time role in the Trump Organization and, when Trump launched his presidential bid in June, 2015, a spot on his campaign as key point person for press and communications.

She was part of Trump’s White House team from the start, and eventually took on the role of communications director before her departure in March, 2018.

Hicks will be returning to the Trump administration in the midst of his 2020 reelection campaign. During his first campaign, Hicks was said to be very influential as he soaked up TV time and attention. She rarely took on the role of on-camera spokesperson for the campaign and instead worked behind the scenes.

Fox Corporation said in a statement about Hicks’ departure, “During her time here, she was instrumental in establishing the Fox Forward Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, a program dedicated to helping veterans, youth and underserved communities. Additionally, she was a key executive team member at the inception of Fox Corporation and throughout this important first year. We are proud of the work Hope has done and wish her well in her future endeavors.”

The company said it will announce a new chief communications officer in the near future.