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Former communications director Hope Hicks is returning to the White House as counselor to the president, an administration official confirmed to Axios.
Why it matters: Hicks was one of President Trump's closest and most loyal aides before she resigned in March 2018, working with Trump dating back to the launch of his campaign in 2015.
- Hicks was interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller's team multiple times as part of his investigation into Russian interference and possible obstruction of justice by Trump.
- After leaving the White House, Hicks also testified before the House Judiciary Committee, where Democrats claimed White House lawyers blocked her from answering questions 155 times.
Details: Rather than returning to the communications office she once lead, Hicks will report to senior adviser Jared Kushner and work alongside political director Brian Jack. She will work on Kushner's portfolio, which includes the re-election campaign.
Between the lines, per Axios' Jonathan Swan: Bringing back Hicks — somebody Trump has often said he wished would return — is a sign Trump wants to be surrounded by his original loyalists heading into re-election.
What they're saying: "There is no one more devoted to implementing President Trump's agenda than Hope Hicks," Kushner said in a statement to the New York Times. "We are excited to have her back on the team."