Grisham named to White House press leadership roles

WASHINGTON -- Stephanie Grisham, longtime spokeswoman and confidante to Melania Trump, will succeed Sarah Huckabee Sanders as White House press secretary, the first lady announced Tuesday. Grisham is jumping into her new role by accompanying President Donald Trump on a trip to Asia starting today.

Grisham is one of the few campaign officials still at the White House and is someone the president trusts.

"Stephanie has been with me from the beginning, as most of you know," Trump told reporters during an unrelated White House event. "And then over the last couple years she's worked for the first lady, done a fantastic job. The first lady loves her, thinks she's been, you know, just incredible. She's very talented."

In addition to becoming White House press secretary, Grisham will also take on the role of White House communications director, a strategic and forward-looking role vacant since March, when former Fox News Channel executive Bill Shine departed.

Grisham will be introduced to the demands of her new role when she travels with Trump to Japan and South Korea on a five-day trip including the president's highly anticipated meetings with the leaders of China and Russia.

The first lady tweeted the news of Grisham's promotion, saying she "can think of no better person to serve the Administration & our country."

Grisham started in the White House as a deputy press secretary in the West Wing but within months had relocated to the East Wing, where first ladies are based, after she was tapped to oversee communications for Mrs. Trump, whom Grisham will continue to serve.