A top White House communications aide is defending her views of President Trump, saying she is “100 percent supportive” of the president and his agenda after a number of past tweets resurfaced showing comments critical of Trump’s policies and rhetoric.
Mercedes Schlapp, the White House’s director of strategic communications, voiced her support for Trump on Thursday in a CNN story that highlighted several posts she made in 2015 targeting Trump’s campaign promises and political feuds.
For example, two months after Trump sparked backlash by saying during his campaign launch that Mexico was sending “rapists” and “criminals” into the United States, Schlapp remarked on Twitter, “Not sure how #Donald Trump will lead with Latinos.”
“One way to lose the Latino support is by saying that U.S. needs to deport all undocumented immigrants #DonaldTrump,” she tweeted days later.
Schlapp, who is of Cuban descent, also appeared to mock Trump’s poll numbers later that month, suggesting it was time he change his tune in Hispanic policies.
“Has #DonaldTrump seen the latest poll numbers?” Schlapp asked. “@GallupNews 65% of hispanics view Trump unfavorably. Time to change his rhetoric?”
CNN also noted that Schlapp penned a column for U.S. News & World Report in July 2015 entitled “Trump Needs To Apologize.” In the column, she argued that Trump’s approach to Mexican immigrants was harmful to the Republican Party.
“Trump is also creating fear among Americans without offering a thoughtful and realistic solution to the growing problem of the U.S. immigration system,” she wrote.
Schlapp tweeted in September 2015 that she was “fascinated” by the then-GOP candidate, but wrote that it was “not financially practical to deport all illegals. 1st need to stop the flow and enforce the laws.”
Schlapp released a statement to CNN on Thursday afternoon through a White House spokesperson, declining to comment on the her past criticisms but defending her support for Trump.
“President Donald Trump led an unprecedented political revolution and his passionate advocacy for the forgotten men and women of this country inspired me to proudly support him, fight for him every day, vote for him, and join this White House,” Schlapp said.
“As President, his policies have forever changed my life and that of the hundreds of millions of Americans for the better. I am deeply honored to work for this President and am 100% supportive of him, his vision, his policies and his legislative agenda,” she added.
Schlapp has served as a senior White House communications aide since joining the Trump administration last September. She previously worked as a prominent GOP consultant and Fox News contributor.
In some of the newly resurfaced tweets, CNN noted that after Trump attacked Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and former Fox News host Megyn Kelly during the 2016 campaign, Schlapp came to their defense on social media.
Trump said McCain in July 2015 was “not a war hero” because he was captured and held as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
“Not smart to attack a war hero,” Schlapp wrote. “Enough w the insults. Learn how to play nice.”
She also wrote that it was “annoying” how Trump treated Kelly during the first Republican primary debate.
Trump “should not go after” Kelly, Schlapp wrote at the time, adding that picking a fight with Kelly was a “losing strategy.”
Trump then retweeted a supporter who called Kelly a “bimbo” and Schlapp called for Kelly to put Trump “in his place.”
“I’m wondering if #DonaldTrump would ever call one of the male journalist a bimbo. Double standard?” she added.
Schlapp also suggested Trump would fit better as a Democratic candidate, CNN reported.
Updated: 11:59 p.m.