White House Aide Ja’Ron Smith Announces Departure

Ja’Ron Smith is announcing that he’s departing his role as a senior aide to President Donald Trump.

The highest-ranking Black official in the White House who worked with Jared Kushner, released a statement on Twitter Friday (November 6) explaining his decision, which he calls “bittersweet.”

“When joining the Trump Administration, I set out to achieve the empty promises of the past, and I am proud to say promises made, promises kept. In four years, President Trump has delivered for Black America; record low unemployment, Opportunity Zones, criminal justice reform, historic funding for HBCUs, and the list goes on,” Smith said, in part.

He added: “This decision was made in consultation with my family (one that will be growing very soon with the addition of twins), and given the blessing of my beloved colleagues at the White House long before the election.”

A White House official confirmed that Smith had left his position and his departure wasn’t a recent decision.

RELATED: Biden Takes Lead Over Trump in Georgia Thanks to Stacey Abrams

Smith served as deputy assistant to President Trump for domestic policy and was first brought into the White House in 2017 to advise him on urban affairs and revitalization policy. Following the departure of Omarosa Manigault Newman in 2018, Smith became the highest-ranking Black individual in the White House.

Smith’s departure comes three days into the U.S. presidential election, which has not yet been called, but increasingly looks like a victory for former Vice President Joe Biden.

Biden now has the lead in Georgia and Pennsylvania. He also maintains a lead in Nevada and Arizona. 

In the Peach State, however, Biden has a lead of less than 2,000 Georgian votes but that number is expected to grow thanks to the registration efforts of Stacey Abrams’ and her Fair Fight organization..

In the Keystone State, the majority of the votes left to be counted are in Philadelphia, which Biden is reportedly winning by 70 percent or more. There are predictions that Biden’s lead in his home state could reach 100,000, mainly due to Black voters in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas.