Senior Trump aide Emily Underwood departs White House for venture capital role
Emily Underwood, a top aide to Stephen Miller, is leaving the White House to join Trust Ventures, joining a recent wave of female staff exits.
Emily Underwood, the senior policy strategist and deputy assistant to the president who worked closely with Stephen Miller, will leave the White House to join venture capital firm Trust Ventures as a partner. Underwood, part of the administration since the start of the second term, coordinated policy strategy across federal agencies. Her resignation adds to a string of recent exits by women in the Trump administration, such as Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson, Special Assistant Sonny Joy Nelson, and others.
Longtime Senator Marco Rubio adviser Caleb Orr is set to take over her role. The turnover occurs amid speculation about staffing ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
Why it matters
The departure highlights ongoing staff turnover in the White House as the administration prepares for the midterm elections.
How this story developed
- Aug 9 Bill Cassidy explains why he backed Todd Blanche for attorney general
- Aug 13 Blanche’s swearing‑in moves him from acting to confirmed Attorney General.
- Aug 13 Leavitt’s resignation was announced as a decision to focus on her family.
- Aug 14 Additional potential candidates such as Stephen Cheung, Stephen Miller and Matthew Boyle have entered the speculation.
- Aug 14 Katie Miller was taken off the list of candidates for press secretary.
- Aug 14 Jen Psaki publicly criticized Leavitt, calling her a liar and alleging she avoided tough questions.
- Aug 16 Multiple senior officials, including White House counsel and a deputy national security adviser, have resigned as Leavitt prepares to leave.
- Aug 16 Blanche delivered his first address to Justice Department employees after his confirmation.
- Aug 16 Biographer Maggie Haberman said President Donald Trump kept aide Natalie Harp close as his “human binkie” while slipping out of Turkey in July.
- Aug 18 White House officials issued a rebuke following Ossoff’s rally comments about Natalie Harp.
- Aug 18 White House officials used profanity‑laden insults toward Ossoff in their rebuttal.
- Aug 18 Leavitt announced her resignation effective at month’s end.
- Aug 18 It was disclosed that Harp is a bone‑cancer survivor who attributes her recovery to the 2018 Right‑to‑Try Act.
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