White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is leaving her position at the end of the month, President Donald Trump said Thursday.
In two tweets, Trump announced Sanders’ departure for her home state of Arkansas before thanking her for “a job well done.” He also recommended her for the Arkansas governor position, writing, “She is a very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job! I hope she decides to run for Governor of Arkansas – she would be fantastic.”
Trump has not announced a replacement.
Sanders first worked alongside Trump as part of his 2016 campaign’s communications team before becoming press secretary in July 2017 following Sean Spicer’s departure. She is the third woman in history to hold the job. As press secretary, Sanders has faced substantial criticism for giving answers from the White House podium that were misleading or contradictory toward the president’s public comments.
Sanders’ departure comes on the heels of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, which said she lied to reporters in 2017 about the circumstances surrounding James Comey’s ouster as FBI director.
This year, Sanders has also been notably absent from the press secretary’s traditional role as the face of the White House, neglecting the position’s usual daily briefing and holding her last press junket on March 11, 94 days ago.