Trump's personal aide exits White House, will join campaign

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's personal aide is leaving the White House and will rejoin his campaign.

John McEntee served as the president's personal assistant. He was one of a shrinking group of campaign aides still working in the turbulent West Wing.

Trump's 2020 Republican campaign announced Tuesday that he will serve as a senior adviser for campaign operations. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined to comment on the reasons for his departure, saying only that McEntee was going to the campaign.

In response to news reports about McEntee's exit, Rep. Elijah Cummings, the ranking Democrat on the House oversight committee, sent a letter to chief of staff John Kelly requesting all documents related to McEntee's employment and departure.

McEntee, who was well liked in the West Wing, occupied a key White House role, never far from Trump in the White House or on the road. His exit comes after a number of key aides have left the building.

Trump announced Tuesday that he had ousted Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Trump's top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, left recently amid internal debate over Trump's plans for tariffs. Communications director Hope Hicks also recently announced her departure.

Like Hicks, McEntee was part of a small group of aides that had been with Trump since his campaign. Their departures could leave Trump more isolated in his second year in office.