Except for President Trump’s family, perhaps no one in President Trump’s White House has been in his inner circle longer than Keith Schiller.
Keith Schiller, a tough former New York Police Department detective, started working for Trump as the head of security at Trump Tower in Manhattan in 1999. Ever since, he has been Trump’s bodyguard and closest friend for years.
As the NY Times noted, Schiller was the point man whenever an activist or liberal reporter would get out of hand during the Republican primaries. Even after receiving Secret Service protection, Schiller maintained a steady presence protecting Trump, and was the first onstage when a protester rushed the barricades at an Ohio rally in March 2016 as Trump spoke.
Multiple White House insiders interviewed described Schiller as an emotional anchor for the president in a White House often marked by turmoil. Schiller has worked for Trump for nearly two decades, and within the West Wing he serves as the “president’s protector, gate-keeper and wing man,” according to people close to Schiller and Trump. Most of the people requested anonymity to candidly discuss relationships between the president and his top aides.
As Stuart Jolly, a former national field director for Trump’s presidential campaign noted, President Trump “trusts Keith, and Keith trusts him. Trust is a really big deal at that level.”
The rumor is, Schiller’s decision to leave is being driven by the appointment of Chief of Staff John Kelly. Reportedly, Schiller doesn’t like the job as much with Kelly in charge, and he lost the privilege to walk into the Oval Office at any time after Kelly took over.
This is a breaking news story. We will update this report as more details become available.
