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White House staffers are going through the ‘stages of grief’ and checking in with support groups

Frustrated and exhausted, they're relying on each other.

 

Samantha Grasso

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Posted on May 18, 2017   Updated on May 24, 2021, 2:01 pm CDT

 

Right now, the “worst job” in Washington, D.C. is any position working for President Donald Trumpthe Washington Post writes, with some White House staffers turning to makeshift support groups of family and friends for help.

The Post piece focuses on the lives of White House staffers, digging into their new realities of having to answer to Trump’s scandals, while also suffering repercussions from the president himself. Some staffers are joking the pain away, while other aides are updating their resumés and checking in with consultants. For these staffers, keeping up with the president is “exhausting,” if not outright dismaying.

“For many White House staffers, impromptu support groups of friends, confidants, and acquaintances have materialized, calling and texting to check in, inquiring about their mental state and urging them to take care of themselves,” the Post reports.

Other White House officials are “going through the stages of grief,” while some have already transitioned from denial to anger, frustrated with Trump’s demands for loyalty coupled with his constant undercutting of his administration’s credibility. Trump’s leakers, who once were “warring” with fellow aides, are now frustrated staffers attempting to get even with the president, while those committed to the president’s asked loyalty are finding themselves increasingly alone.

Like any other high-stakes job with promising rewards, some aides have decided to stick around, “hoping to juice their future earning potential.” One Republican operative in frequent contact with staffers said, much like former FBI Director James Comey and his damning memos, they would be keen to keep a diary. But alas, this high-stress investment for their futures comes at an immediate cost.

“The real question is: How long do you put up with it?,” the Republican told the Post. “Every one of those people could get a better paying job and work less hours.”

H/T the Washington Post

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*First Published: May 18, 2017, 8:39 am CDT