Stephanie Grisham says she is ‘terrified’ of a 2024 Donald Trump presidential run

By Kate Bennett, CNN

Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, who worked for Donald Trump for more than five years, now says she fears another four years with Trump in the White House.

“I am terrified of him running for president in 2024,” said Grisham, who also served as East Wing chief of staff, in an interview Monday on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” a promotional appearance for her memoir, “I’ll Take Your Questions Now,” which is scheduled for release this week. “I don’t think (Trump) is fit for the job.”

Grisham’s take on the former President’s fitness for the job came as she was asked by George Stephanopoulos whether she herself contributed to a White House “culture of casual dishonesty,” to which Grisham answered, “Yes.”

“I now want to, in whatever way I can, educate the public about the behaviors within the White House, because it does look like he’s going to run in 2024,” said Grisham.

Grisham said a second term for Trump in her opinion would mean a president driven by “revenge” for his political adversaries.

“He will probably have some pretty draconian policies,” she added, noting another term would mean less concern about reelection and more emboldened opportunities to put forth policy shaped by Trump’s base.

Asked why she was coming forward now, after so many years as a senior Trump loyalist, Grisham said her mind was changed after she spent time working in the West Wing.

“I do believe he gave voice to a lot of people who did feel forgotten, but I think that many of us, myself included, got into that White House, and got heady with power,” said Grisham. “We didn’t think about serving the country anymore, it was about surviving.”

As former chief of staff to Melania Trump, Grisham also discussed the former first lady, including the derisive nickname, “Rapunzel,” which Melania Trump was given by the Secret Service in response to her rarely leaving the private residence at the White House.

“She did not like to leave. She stayed upstairs a lot,” said Grisham, who in the book writes about the first lady’s domestic life.

In a statement to CNN, Melania Trump’s spokesperson pushed back on Grisham, saying: “The author is desperately trying to rehabilitate her tarnished reputation by manipulating and distorting the truth about Mrs. Trump. Ms. Grisham is a deceitful and troubled individual who doesn’t deserve anyone’s trust.”

Grisham is scheduled to appear Tuesday morning on CNN’s “New Day.”

The-CNN-Wire
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