Trump 'Body Man' Expected To Leave White House in Coming Weeks
President Donald Trump’s personal aide and “body man” reportedly plans to leave the White House by early next year.
Bloomberg reported Jordan Karem, who joined Trump in July 2015 shortly after he announced his presidential bid, will be returning to the private sector.
Karem has served in his current role as director of Oval Office operations since March of this year.
The body man travels with the president and looks after his personal needs.
Bloomberg’s Jennifer Jacobs noted that Karem is often the first aide Trump sees in the morning and the last one to see him at night.
“Unsurprisingly, the role of body guy isn’t a typical one in this White House. Trump leaned on Jordan Karem for many tasks, including weighing in on matters on Trump’s mind—policy, staffing, politics, etc—and relaying messages to contacts inside and outside WH,” she tweeted.
Unsurprisingly, the role of body guy isn’t a typical one in this White House. Trump leaned on Jordan Karem for many tasks, including weighing in on matters on Trump’s mind—policy, staffing, politics, etc—and relaying messages to contacts inside and outside WH.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) November 26, 2018
She added that Karem “gained a reputation for being forthright with Trump, sometimes brutally honest. (One of the few willing to do that).”
Jacobs also pointed out Karem’s father, Michael Karem, was an advance staffer for four Republican presidents: Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.
Aides told the reporter that Karem was on the campaign trail with Trump the day before the midterm elections earlier this month when he received word his father had died at age 72.
The Washington Times reported that Michael had been very pleased his son followed in his footsteps working on the White House staff.
Jordan Karem was on campaign trail with Trump the day before the midterm elections this month when he got the news that his father had died, aides told me.
Michael Karem was an advance staffer who worked for 4 GOP presidents—Nixon, Reagan, both Bushes.https://t.co/roE90EoLHC
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) November 26, 2018
Trump confirmed Karem’s planned departure from the administration, writing in a statement, “Jordan Karem is great guy who I have gotten to know well over the last several years. He was with me from the beginning and I appreciate his loyalty and his commitment to my administration.”
The president continued, “He did an excellent job working with me and my team. I know he will do many great things in the future.”
Prior to working for Trump, Karem was chief of staff to an Arizona utility company CEO.
Jacobs tweeted that the aide has told colleagues he has no plans to write a book about his time in the White House.
The correspondent’s reference is an obvious nod to the multiple former Trump White House staffers who have, including former press secretary Sean Spicer (“The Briefing”), aide Omarosa Manigault Newman (“Unhinged”), and special assistant to the president Cliff Sims, whose book “Team of Vipers” hits bookshelves the end of January.
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