US President Donald Trump's former communications director Hope Hicks may have been keeping a low profile since her exit from the White House in February 2018. But flying under the radar becomes impossible when one is spotted with the president aboard Air Force One.
Hicks was supposed to spend last weekend with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at one of the golf resorts in New Jersey, reported Vanity Fair, but ended up on Air Force One after the president realised that she was with his daughter.
She is known to have flown to Ohio on August 4 and even spoke to reporters on the aircraft. While a lot of things were reportedly said in jest, Hicks did say that she would consider coming back to the White House as Trump's chief of staff if the timing was right, reported Business Insider.
The post, at present, is held by John Kelly and he is likely to stay on until 2020. However, he is said to have turned down a second term.
Meanwhile, a source close to Hicks said that she is just "trying to live her life," but often makes headlines for it. "If everyone's going to be following her every move anyway, why not do what she wants to do?," the source told Vanity Fair.
Another source reportedly explained that the 29-year-old was in a transition phase and "if she's going to be scrutinized anyway, she may as well enjoy herself." The person also explained that Hicks was looking at a few finance jobs, but will only take something she is 100 percent comfortable in.
"The biggest issue is finding a place where she feels comfortable. There aren't that many places where she feels safe and secure."
In case Hicks goes back to the White House, the move would not really come as a surprise as she has always maintained that she loved working there. When she resigned as the communications director, she had said that she had "no words" to express her gratitude.
The Trump family is also known to love her and the president had at the time said that she had done "great work."
"Hope is outstanding and has done great work for the last three years," the New York Times quoted Trump as saying. "She is as smart and thoughtful as they come, a truly great person. I will miss having her by my side, but when she approached me about pursuing other opportunities, I totally understood. I am sure we will work together again in the future."
Ivanka too had tweeted: "Hope Hicks is loved & admired by all who know her. It's with a heavy heart, but tremendous gratitude, that I wish her well in her next steps."
The rise of Hope Hicks
The 29-year-old stunner started off as a model but later moved to public relations and joined New York City firm Zeno Group. She then moved to public relations firm Hiltzik Strategies in 2012 and worked for several of the firm's clients.
Her first brush with the first family of the US was through this job as Ivanka was Hiltzik Strategies' client for her fashion line. The firm also handled several projects of the Trump ventures.
In 2014, she left Hiltzik Strategies and joined the Trump Organisation full-time, working closely with Ivanka on her fashion label and online store. The job brought her into the limelight and Trump then picked her for the role of his press secretary.
Until then, Hicks had no experience in politics but took up Trump's offer. She slowly rose up the ranks and her efficiency and loyalty helped her snag the position of the White House Communications Director.
