Dear Commons Community,

Earlier this week, White House Communications Director, Hope Hicks resigned her position and yesterday NBC  News reported that national security adviser, H.R. McMaster will be leaving next month. These moves would be the latest in a long string of senior appointees who have left, were replaced or otherwise were separated from their positions in the Trump White House.  The list including Hicks, Priebus, Spicer, Bannon, Price, Porter, and others (see below) keeps getting longer and one has to wonder why so many departures in such a short period of time.  Let me offer some speculation.

First, they were not up to the responsibilities of their positions.

Second, they are under investigation.

Third, they are abusive to spouses and others.

Fourth, they no longer can compromise their own standards of decency, professionalism, and comportment in having to work for a president who is seriously weak in these areas.

Lastly, they are jumping from Trump’s ship in time to salvage their careers. Surely having had a senior position in the White House should be a door opener for a lucrative and respected career after one leaves and it is likely that this will be the case for some of the recently departed.  However, it might also be the case especially if the Mueller investigation heats up and moves further up the chain to Trump and other senior staff, that their careers might be “toast.”  The last possibility was offered on CNN yesterday by  David Gergen,  former presidential adviser who served during the administrations of Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. 

Tony

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H.R. McMaster

Hope Hicks 

Sally Yates

Michael Flynn

Katie Walsh

Preet Bharara 

James Comey

Mike Dubke 

Walter Shaub

Sean Spicer 

Reince Priebus 

Steve Bannon

Anthony Scaramucci

Tom Price

Rob Porter