Hope Hicks becomes Donald Trump's third communications director in eight months

Ms Hicks is a former model, actress and PR rep

Hope Hicks (Getty Images)

Hope Hicks has officially become the third person to hold the title of communications director in Donald Trump’s White House.

Ms Hicks has been with Mr Trump – in the President’s own words – “from the beginning”, joining his presidential campaign team early on and sticking with him through several staff restructurings.

The 28-year-old also proved to be a Trump stalwart during the real estate mogul's transition to the White House and throughout the first eight months of his administration.

Originally named as White House Director of Strategic Communications in December, Ms Hicks was appointed last month to be interim White House Communications Director after the ousting of Anthony Scaramucci. She will now hold the job on a permanent basis, according to Bloomberg.

Prior to joining Mr Trump’s campaign team, Ms Hicks had no experience working in politics.

Her relationship with the Trump family began while she was an employee of Hiltzik Strategies, a New York public relations firm, where she worked on projects for Ivanka Trump, the President’s eldest daughter.

Ms Hicks went on to leave the firm to work for the Trump Organization in 2014, helping to expand Ms Trump’s fashion label.

Originally from Greenwich, Connecticut, Ms Hicks received her English degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas in 2010.

While Mr Trump has already fired or dismissed several of his aides during the first leg of his administration, Ms Hicks has been labelled by the media as “untouchable”.

After Mr Scaramucci was announced as the new communications director in July – replacing Mike Dubke, who resigned in May – Mr Scaramucci said at a news conference: “Dan [Scavino] and Hope Hicks are staying. As it relates to the other people in the comms shop, I’ve got to get to know them.”

Also in July, when the President gave a 50-minute interview to the New York Times, Ms Hicks was reportedly the only aide who sat in on the meeting.

During the interview, Mr Trump condemned Attorney General Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from an investigation into his campaign’s alleged ties to Russia. He also said special counsel Robert Mueller would be crossing a line if he probed the Trump family’s finances and indicated he didn't how much health insurance costs.

Ms Hicks, who tends to avoid the spotlight and usually does not speak on-camera, is reportedly among those Mr Mueller hopes to interview in connection with his investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election.