The first woman and second African-American to serve as the White House chief usher was abruptly fired Friday.
And there is already speculation that Angella Reid was let go after only six years because the Trump administration is suspicious of Obama spies, a presidential historian told the Washington Post.
The average tenure of the chief usher, a position that coordinates the activities at the White House residence and oversee its staff, is 13 years.
“The Trump administration seems worried about Obama’s spies, and there may have been a feeling that she wasn’t on page with the Trumpians,” presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said.
The White House has not given a reason for her firing: “We left on very good terms and wish her the best and certainly hope for great things for her in the future,“ deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during Friday’s press briefing.
”However, it’s not uncommon that you might have a transition when a new administration comes in and it’s simply nothing more than that,“ Huckabee Sanders said.
But residential staff members of the White House tend to stay on no matter who is in office.
“It really doesn’t matter who is president, or what party is in office,” former chief usher Stephen Rochon told CNN. He says that he was recently offered the post again by the Trump administration. He declined.