The absence of communications director Michael Dubke might already be impacting the White House because the statements coming out of the press office seem a little off. In fact, some online critics are mocking a newly released statement as a "parody" that looks like something President Donald Trump would write himself.
"President Trump has a magnetic personality and exudes positive energy, which is infectious to those around him," the statement from White House spokeswoman Hope Hicks reads. "He has an unparalleled ability to communicate with people, whether he is speaking to a room of three or an arena of 30,000. He has built great relationships throughout his life and treats everyone with respect. He is brilliant with a great sense of humor … and an amazing ability to make people feel special and aspire to be more than even they thought possible."
The statement came in response to a Washington Postreport on Trump's tendency of attacking his own staff with insults. The Post noted that the flagrant use of complimentary adjectives to heap praise upon her boss weren't what stood out. Rather, the abrupt rejection of everything Trump once stood for stuck them as strange.
The Post's Callum Borchers claimed that saying Trump "exudes positive energy" contradicts Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan, which presupposes America is not great currently.
The idea that Trump suddenly cares about making "people feel special" also seemingly came out of nowhere, she wrote. Trump has been heralded by his supporters for his meanness, attacks on the media, insults to members of his fellow party and an all-out crusade against his rivals -- including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).