The boss might call at 2 a.m. earliest. By 6 a.m., there’s hardly any time left to think about sleeping.
You still need to make a reservation for a professional hairstyling. A flawless makeup is applied layer by layer, and then a brand-name outfit is chosen—because in Trump’s White House, looking the part is almost as important as doing the job well.
As a woman who worked in Trump’s inner circle once described it, appearance must meet the so-called “perfect MAGA standard”.
Trump and former White House press secretary Carolyn Levitt
When those highly intelligent female staff members of the Trump administration appeared on television cameras together with the president at MAGA rallies and press conferences, what the public saw were their radiant smiles and meticulously designed attire.
However, in this White House, the president himself has been accused of being sexist and having improper sexual behavior. But what is the reality for the women who work there?
Salaries are limited, while the demands of the job are extremely high, and one has to be on standby 24/7. There is no time to care for family. Of course, there’s also an obvious requirement: they have to spend a lot of their time and hard-earned money on improving their appearance.
In order to uncover the mysteries of the lives of Republican 'charming women leaders' within the core circle of American politics, several former female staff members told The Daily Mail anonymously about their ‘behind-the-scenes lives’.
If I had to describe it in one word? Exhausted. “In the end, it really drains a person completely,” admitted a former employee who was both physically and mentally exhausted.
"Your work must be outstanding; this is the most basic requirement. But if you are a woman, you must also maintain a certain image, dress appropriately, and be available 24 hours a day on call, because he is a president who hardly sleeps."
Plus the pressure at home, that's why so many people couldn't hold on in the end.
Just last week, this contradiction was brought to the forefront. Trump's powerful and capable press secretary, Caroline Leavit, announced her departure from the White House, becoming a full-time mother to two young children.
28-year-old Laivite confessed that this decision made her “in a mix of feelings”. She stated that since she gave birth to her daughter in May of this year, and returned to the White House, she has gradually realized that if she was going to put in the "continuous time, effort and focus" required for this job, she wouldn't be able to become the kind of mother her two-year-old son and newborn daughter needed.
For someone who has already become one of the most well-known women under Trump's reign in Washington, this confession came across as particularly forthright.
Nevertheless, last Friday night, Leavit with golden hair was photographed wearing a bright red dress, standing stylishly and prominently next to the president. The two were preparing to board Air Force One for New York. She will officially leave her position this month.
And this year alone, she is not the first woman to leave.
In fact, since January this year, six women have resigned from Trump’s inner circle: National Intelligence Director Tricia Gabbard, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstie Knowlton, Labor Secretary Loretta Javaliers-Dremmer, Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson, and Media Affairs Director Sunny Joy Nelson.
Trump's Assistant Natalie Harper
However, this may not be surprising at all. Not to mention the immense pressure associated with positions of high government authority, Trump, at the age of 80, is also known for his preference for physically imposing women (who can forget his infamous statement about “grabbing their buttocks”?). He is notorious for demanding absolute loyalty from those around him, with strict standards that are never relaxed. Moreover, he sleeps only four hours each night.
It is said that once things don’t go his way, he will become very angry and demand that the closest staff members around him must be available at all times, day and night.
Commentators say that the women who were promoted to work for Trump are all strikingly beautiful, well-groomed, and highly capable. This is not an accident – after all, Trump once had a "Miss Universe" beauty pageant.
These interviewees requested anonymity, as the organizations they later worked for still supported Trump.
Working under such a "controversial" boss, within the core circle of the MAGA movement, has had long-term effects. Many people have later realized that some employers—especially large blue-chip companies—view them as a "burden" or even a risk. Some people have completely left the workplace.
A source in the legal field said, “The president is always in a working state. If he wants to talk to someone, he will simply shout your name, and you should run over immediately. He will call you at 2 a.m. without thinking anything is wrong.”
“You must maintain a certain image. Most women in the White House spend at least twice a week specifically to do hair styling before going to work, and they also face the pressure to go to the gym and dress appropriately.”
"Many young assistants actually don't earn much money; their annual salaries might be only $50,000 to $70,000. Working in Trump's world is not only extremely stressful but also very costly."
According to sources, it was too much for Caroline Leavit to handle work pressure while also taking care of two young children.
Trump has become so dependent on her: during her last maternity leave, he kept calling her, asking when she would return.
During her first maternity leave, due to the attempted assassination of Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, she returned to work just three days after giving birth.
Caroline once said to the interviewer, "At that time, I was holding a child in my arms and said to my husband, 'It seems I need to go back to work.'"
Another source close to the presidential circle said, “I think Carolyn doesn’t mind receiving his calls, but this time, she has probably truly realized the reality.”
Others will always demand that she prioritize her presidency, perhaps it's time to put her own children first? Other women have also publicly discussed their experiences working in the core circles of Trump's power.
Brunch Sprime was a senior executive and trusted accomplice of Trump even before he became a prominent figure in politics. For her, it was possible to receive calls from Trump at any time of the day.
The 67-year-old Sprague once described his job as "like being a nanny," specifically handling Trump's various minor complaints and requests.
She recalled, “He used to call me at night and say, ‘Do you know if there’s a soda bottle in front of Trump Plaza?’ Then I had to make sure someone picked it up immediately, because he would drive by there again later to see if the bottle was gone.”
Another time, in 1987, after Trump’s book “The Art of the Deal” was published, he held a signing event in Florida. Spragge’s task was to ensure that the pen he preferred wouldn’t run out of ink—that pen used light blue ink, resembling hen’s eggs.
Recently, Susi Weise, the White House chief of staff, said that her ability to work with Trump is related to the fact that she grew up with a father who was an alcoholic.
Weilse said that although Trump himself does not drink, he has a ‘druggy [exaggerated] personality’. He leads with the mindset that ‘nothing is impossible for him—nothing at all, zero, not anything.’
Trump and his communications deputy Margo Martin
Meanwhile, other published accounts of life in Trump's inner circle reveal some even more disturbing details regarding his alleged actions.
Stephanie Grisham was the White House press secretary during Trump’s first term in office, and later became a close aide to First Lady Melania Trump. She wrote a memoir titled "Now I Answer Your Questions," in which she accused Trump of frequently reprimanding her, describing his anger as "frightening."
She wrote: “I began to realize that his tantrums weren’t just meant to create a shocking effect, nor were they done just for the sake of the camera.”
"I began to regret my decision to work in the West Wing of the White House," she said. "Once, Trump was furious and started yelling at me."
His eyes stared at me intently, filled with anger. His face was not only red, but it had almost turned purple.
She also accused Trump of targeting young female employees, including one news assistant. It is said that Trump called her into the private cabin of the Air Force One aircraft because he “wanted to see her butt.”
But Trump denied Gritsham's claims, stating that she was just a dissatisfied former employee who had become "angry and resentful." He also said that she "received money from radical left-wing publishers and spoke only negative and untrue things."
Of course, there are people who find ways to defend Trump's preference for women. A source said that Trump has a 'contradiction' in his personality: he clearly likes women who are smart, strong (and beautiful) around him, but he also greatly appreciates and supports their abilities.
A source said that Trump “has been promoting women to senior positions since the early days of his business career.”
Many women who have worked for Trump are also very willing to admit this fact.
A source said, “You have to remember that he was someone who had two women—Kylie Ann Kevane and Susie Wiles—lead his campaign. During his first term, his daughter [Ivanka] was also at the core of the campaign efforts.”
When Caroline Leavit was 26 years old, she was appointed as the White House press secretary. Even those who disagreed with her political views acknowledged that she was one of the most impressive and efficient press secretaries ever.
This source argued strongly that it is unfair for people to attack the president in this way, because in Washington, a place that has always been dominated by men, ‘he has always been a strong supporter of women.’
People criticize him for expecting the women around him to not only meet certain professional standards, but also to remain beautiful. And that’s exactly how he is… At his core, he is a businessman, and he always believes that appearance must be able to make a lasting impression.
“To be fair, he doesn’t only target women. I’ve also seen him scold men for wearing jeans or ill-fitting suits.”
These people who defend Trump also believe that it is the natural "competition" among women that makes the women around Trump so focused on their appearance.
Trump and former U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi (center) and former Homeland Security Secretary Kirsten Gillans-Nielsen (left)
The source said, “He did not force these women to go for hair styling at 6 a.m., nor did he push them into undergoing cosmetic procedures or taking weight loss pills.”
They get Botox and fillers because the White House itself is a highly competitive place. Everyone is vying for his attention. Please, he is the President of the United States.
According to Michael Wolff, a writer who has written four books about Trump, Trump doesn’t mind this kind of attention at all.
He said, “I think that, to some extent, Trump is sending the message: ‘These women are always at my disposal.’ That’s exactly the impression he wants to create. I believe that, for him, it’s still extremely important to make others feel like they are the man who has women surrounding him all the time.”
Trump's two closest assistants are Natalie Hopp, who is in charge of social media, and Margo Martin, who is in charge of news affairs. Both women are tall and attractive, and it is said that they are also highly trusted by the president and have great influence in front of him.
As for Levitt, she will undoubtedly continue to be on Trump’s regular contact list.
A loyal supporter of Trump said, “The president trusts her judgment. He respects her decision to spend time with their children, but he will still seek her opinion in the future.”
Some believe that Levitt chose to leave before the November midterm elections because they expected Trump to suffer a crushing defeat in those elections.
But that legal industry source said, “I firmly disagree with this statement. I believe Caroline has precisely shown that times have changed. If anything, Trump has given women more power. He has made it very clear that he will continue to have her as a trusted advisor. She is only 28 years old.”
"In the 1980s, women had to choose between career and family. Now there's no need to do so. She has already proven her ability to work, and she won't disappear just because of that. Remember my words, Caroline will still be an important force behind the scenes in the future."
Currently, the number of people applying to work at the White House has reached a record high. Many young women hope to follow in the footsteps of successful individuals like Leavit. Therefore, there is likely to be a shortage of "powerful women with charm" who could take her place.
But the question is, is this actually giving women power, or is it a form of exploitation of women?
