WASHINGTON — Stephanie Grisham is being replaced as White House press secretary after a rocky nine-month tenure that did not include a single on-the-record appearance in the White House briefing room.
The departure comes as President Donald Trump’s new chief of staff, former Congressman Mark Meadows, is just days into the job and eager to begin by shaking up the White House communications shop, according to a senior official.
Grisham, who had served previously as chief of staff and spokesperson for First Lady Melania Trump, will return to that role, according to an announcement from the first lady’s office.
“I continue to be honored to serve both the President and First Lady in the Administration,” Grisham said in a statement. “My replacements will be announced in the coming days and I will stay in the West Wing to help with a smooth transition for as long as needed.”
Meadows is considering several people as official press secretary, including Trump campaign spokesperson Kayleigh McEnanny and Pentagon spokesperson Alyssa Farrah.
Grisham’s predecessors, Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, both held press briefings, but they essentially stopped under Grisham as Trump increasingly acted as his own spokesman.
Trump grew fond of talking to reporters on the South Lawn before climbing into a helicopter, and has delivered daily televised briefings over the last month to discuss the administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
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