Raj Shah Out As White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary
Raj Shah has left his role as White House principal deputy press secretary, becoming the latest of several Trump administration officials to depart in recent months.
He will launch and head media affairs firm Ballard Media Group with high-profile lobbyist Brian Ballard, Shah said in a statement Monday. Jamie Rubin, a former assistant secretary of state for public affairs under President Bill Clinton, has also signed on to lead the project.
“Our team, with years of proven results, will provide the strategic communications clients need to navigate these challenges and successfully deliver their message to the right audience,” Shah said in his statement.
.@RajShah45 statement on joining Ballard to head and launch Ballard Media Group along w/ former Clinton admin Asst Secretary of State Jamie Rubin. Shah also lead the media operation for the White House- coordinated effort to successfully place Justice Brett Kavanaugh on SCOTUS. pic.twitter.com/5eUPuDVKwl
— Fin Gomez (@finnygo) January 14, 2019
Shah was the first Indian-American to hold the position of White House principal deputy press secretary, CBS News reported. News of his exit followed months of speculation that he would leave the White House following Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.
The White House confirmed Shah’s departure to HuffPost on Monday, but did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment. Shah did not return HuffPost’s request for comment.
Shah had previously served as deputy assistant to the president. Prior to joining the Trump administration, he worked as research director and deputy communications director for the Republican National Committee until January 2017.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
