Earlier this month, the New York Times published a shocking report that President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee paid a whopping $26 million to an event planning firm started by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a longtime friend of and adviser to First Lady Melania Trump. Now, news has emerged that Melania has fired Wolkoff in the wake of the report.
This is extremely uncharacteristic for Melania, who has run her office far more efficiently than Michelle Obama ever did. Furthermore, it must have been extremely distressing for the very private Melania to fire a friend.
Melania Trump has parted ways with friend-slash-adviser Stephanie Winston Wolkoff after it came out that Trump’s inaugural committee paid Wolkoff’s firm $26 million. https://t.co/qBhC0mUNRI
— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) February 27, 2018
According to the New York Times report, Trump’s inaugural committee paid $26 million to WIS Media Partners, a firm created by Wolkoff just a month before Trump’s inauguration. The firm then spent $24 million on subcontractors, and Wolkoff personally took home $1.62 million.
Of course, liberals were quick to brand the $26 million payment to WIS Media Partners a “kickback,” but it’s unfortunately typical of consultants and subcontractors in the swamp to grossly overcharge for basic services. It’s just shocking that, given her competence and business savvy, Melania didn’t catch this – it was definitely a huge oversight on someone’s part. Stephanie Grisham, Melania’s spokeswoman, told the Times that Melania “had no knowledge of how funds were spent.”
Again, this must have been a difficult decision for Melania. Unlike Trump, she prefers to remain out of the spotlight and likes to keep her life and relationships off the radar, and Wolkoff was a trusted member of her inner circle. She was Melania’s first hire as First Lady, and the two have been friends since at least 2006. It’s truly unfortunate that Wolkoff took advantage of that friendship.
In relaying the news of Wolkoff’s firing, Grisham told the Times that Melania’s team has “severed the gratuitous services contract with Ms. Wolkoff,” adding, “We thank her for her hard work and wish her all the best.”
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