White House communications aide Josh Raffel, the primary spokesman for Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, will reportedly leave the White House in the coming months.
Raffel has served in the West Wing since April, when he was tapped for a senior communications role by President Trump’s daughter and son-in-law, both of whom serve as senior advisers. A longtime personal friend of the couple, Raffel had previously represented Kushner’s family-owned real estate operation when he worked for the New York-based consulting firm Hiltzik Strategies.
Inside the White House and among reporters, Raffel was largely seen as the personal spokesman for Kushner and Ivanka – always defending them against criticism and working to boost their image as advisers to the president. At the same time, he was heavily involved in developing broader communications strategies for moments like the GOP tax reform push and ongoing Middle East peace talks.
“Josh is honest, passionate and thoughtful. Whether it was offering strategic guidance on the communications for tax reform or a foreign trip, Josh’s guidance was invaluable,” Ivanka said in a statement to Axios, which first reported on Raffel’s pending departure.
Despite backing Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, Raffel reportedly developed close relationships with several Trump administration officials, including individuals who had been with the president since the launch of his campaign.
“Josh has been a trusted partner as we worked to enact the President’s economic agenda and passed historic tax reform. He is focused and thoughtful in our day-to-day operations and in driving a policy roll-out, and he will be missed,” National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn told Axios.
