Hope Hicks came up against a new adversary on Friday morning – Mother Nature.
The embattled White House Communications Director was seen with windblown hair and a contoured face as she made her way to a waiting car at around 8am after exiting her Washington DC apartment.
Photographs of the departing Trump staffer with her hair whipping in the wind called to mind the famous image Ron Galella snapped of Jackie Kennedy Onassis leaving her New York City apartment back in 1971, Windblown Jackie.
Hicks was on her way to work at the White House, and will then be heading home to Connecticut for the weekend.
Hope’s hair floats: Hope Hicks was seen exiting her Washington DC apartment on Friday (above) wearing $695 suede knee-high boots and a $328 Joie dress despite the wet conditions
A hair of many colors: The departing White House Communications Director did wear a jacket and blazer over her dress, but left them both unbuttoned
Over hair: She carried an $1800 Louis Vuitton weekend bag along with her vintage Bally tote, suggesting that she is leaving Washington DC this weekend
The mane event: Hicks announced on Wednesday that she would be exiting her post as White House Communications Director
Gtting down to business: Hicks was buttoned up and pony-tailed by the time she arrived at work on Friday (above)
Hicks was outfitted for the day in a lingerie-inspired sweater dress from Joie ($328) and one of her many pairs of Start Weitzman boots ($695), a look that kept a good portion of her bare leg exposed despite the wet and cold conditions in the capitol.
She received some cover from the elements thanks to a black blazer and green jacket which she wore over her outfit, though both were left unbuttoned despite the temperature outside.
Hicks was not travelling light either, as she lugged a Keepall Bandoulière 45 from Louis Vuitton ($1800) along with her vintage Bally tote.
This heavy haul made it clear that Hicks will not be sticking around DC this weekend, and heading off to parts unknown ahead of her White House exit.
Hicks has been one of President Trump’s most trusted aides since she joined the campaign, with the 29-year-old publicist the only individual who has been with the real estate scion since he announced he was running for office.
That is why it was such a surprise when she abruptly announced her resignation earlier this week.
She is now the fourth person to exit that position after Michael Dubke, Sean Spicer and Anthony Scaramucci.
There is no word on who may replace her in that role.
The news came one day after Hicks was interviewed for nine hours by the House panel investigating Russia interference in the 2016 election.
Given her time with the campaign and the fact that President Trump views her as a surrogate daughter, her testimony was considered vital in determining what contact, if any, she knew about between the campaign and Russia.
She came under fire within hours of wrapping up that testimony however when it was revealed she had admitted to telling ‘white little lies’ to protect her boss.
Bag lady: Hicks is now the fourth person to quit or be fired as WHCD
Made in the suede: The news came one day after Hicks was interviewed for nine hours by the House panel investigating Russia interference in the 2016 election
Louis, Louis: She came under fire within hours of wrapping up that testimony however when it was revealed she had admitted to telling ‘white little lies’ to protect her boss
A winter storm brought heavy winds to the DC area Friday morning – which were evident
That is not why she left however, with The New York Times reporting she had been considering the idea for weeks at that point.
Hicks found little to smile about in her final weeks at the White House, and in one of the few photos snapped of her at work two weeks ago appeared somber while in conversation with Kellyanne Conway.
That was likely due to the exit one day prior of her boyfriend Rob Porter, a situation which was said to have angered President Trump at the time.
Despite claims of his frustration however, President Trump released a statement that same day which said: ‘Hope is absolutely fantastic.
‘She was with the campaign from the beginning, and I could not ask for anything more. Hope is smart, very talented and respected by all.’
The President’s daughter, Ivanka, who hired Hicks several years ago to work for her company before she moved on to the Trump campaign, called her a ‘team player.
She added: ‘Most importantly, the President has deep respected for her, cares about her greatly, and listens to her. That’s not true of everyone. She’s earned that.’
Bad love: Hicks’ troubles began after enws of her boyfriend Rob Porter’s past marriages came to light (couple above in January)
This tux: Hicks was looking regal in a white tuxedo jacket from Veronica Beard while exiting her apartment on Thursday
DailyMail.com first broke the story about Porter’s alleged abuse.
Porter stepped down from his job following on-the-record claims to DailyMail.com from his ex-wives Colbie Holderness and Jennifer Willoughby about the abuse they say they suffered during their marriages to the former Trump aide.
Holderness claims Porter choked and punched her during their marriage, while Willoughby says he dragged her wet and naked out of the shower and was verbally abusive.
Soon after, DailyMail.com also reported that Chief-of-Staff John Kelly was told in October 2017 that Porter’s ex-wives were prepared to level devastating accusations of spousal abuse against him.
Porter’s then-girlfriend told Kelly personally that Porter had abused his two exes, according to a White House official.
White House counsel Don McGahn had known since early 2017 that Porter was at risk of being accused of being violent with the women.
But the news made it to Kelly when Porter’s girlfriend told him, after contacting a White House aide who reported to him.