Chris Cox, President Donald Trump’s top liaison to the House of Representatives, has told associates he is leaving the White House, 15 hours after POLITICO raised questions about his alleged contacts with a former lobbying client while in government.
On multiple occasions, Cox suggested while working in the White House that he was collecting intelligence or doing work after speaking to representatives and lobbyists from corporate interests, multiple sources said. White House spokesman Judd Deere defended the practice in Playbook’s afternoon edition Thursday. “I’m not seeing anything nefarious here,” he said.
On Thursday afternoon, POLITICO raised a further series of questions about whether and how Cox was involved in a matter last month involving a former lobbying client that was pushing for help in the Trump administration; the White House declined comment. By Friday morning, he said he was leaving the White House.
The White House and Cox did not respond to requests for comment about his status on Friday.
Anna Palmer and John Bresnahan contributed to this report.