OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The White House is witnessing an unusual number of departures during President Joe Biden’s tenure, with recent reports noting a significant turnover within First Lady Jill Biden’s office following the resignation of a top aide.
The Daily Mail reported that the aide in question stepped down after escorting individuals to the secure floor of the hotel where President Biden was residing, a breach of security protocol.
In June 2022, Michael LaRosa—who is out as gay—accompanied the Bidens to the NATO Summit in Spain, the outlet reported. During the trip, a senior White House staffer saw 40-year-old LaRosa twice breach security protocols by inviting unapproved visitors to his floor room, according to the source.
Secret Service agents caught him twice bringing dates to a secure floor, obviously putting the First Lady’s safety at risk because you’re not supposed to bring people in who are not fully vetted,” the senior staffer reportedly said.
Elizabeth Alexander, Jill Biden’s communications director, has also taken a leave of absence to lead the “messaging arm” of President Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign.
“The move speaks to how Biden’s campaign is still taking shape, one week after he announced he would seek another term. The campaign announced only two staff hires on its first day: campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez and principal deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks,” Brookings reported.
Rory Brosius, who has been running the Joining Forces project, left her post last week. Sheila Casey, the wife of former Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey, will take over for Brosius.
“As a young military spouse walking into the East Wing to intern for Joining Forces in August of 2012 to joining the Biden-Harris Administration on day one to stand up Joining Forces, this has been the journey of a lifetime,” Brosius said in her message.
Last month, Jill Biden invited a new round of criticism over a “bizarre” Christmas video posted to social media Wednesday showing oddly dressed dancers tapping around a decorated White House whose theme for 2023 is “Magic, Wonder, and Joy.”
She shared the video to the official @FLOTUS account on the X platform.
“A bit of magic, wonder, and joy brought to you by the talented tappers of Dorrance Dance, performing their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite. Enjoy!” her post said.
It drew quite a few negative responses, however.
“The United States of Bananas,” one viewer posted.
“Imagine thinking this gives America the Christmas spirit,” another wrote.
“You are so strange. Bizarre. Freaky,” one said.
“I wonder what that cost taxpayers,” another wrote.
“ABSOLUTE GARBAGE,” another viewer said.
Others wondered how much the production cost taxpayers, especially at a time when a majority of Americans say they are struggling under “Bidenomics,” while others remarked that the content was not in the traditional Christmas spirit and could even be considered inappropriate for children.
Remember when people criticized first lady Melania Trump for traditional Christmas decorations?
Look what the @FLOTUS just did to our White House.
Unreal. 2024 can't get here fast enough.
— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) December 14, 2023
This isn’t the first time Jill Biden has come under fire for odd Christmas decorations at the White House.
In 2021, she titled her Christmas theme “Gifts from the Heart,” where she said she wanted to showcase “things that unite and heal and bring us together.”
A statement from Biden said she was “inspired by small acts of kindness and experiences that lifted our spirits this year and throughout the pandemic.”
“Inspired by the acts of kindness and experiences that lifted our spirits this year, decorated rooms in the White House reflect the Gifts from the Heart that unite us all: faith, family, friendship, the arts, learning, nature, gratitude, service, community, peace, and unity,” Biden tweeted along with several images from the White House.
It didn’t take long for social media users to voice their displeasure with Biden’s full decor and even compare it to how Melania decorated.
Jill Biden’s Christmas decorations for the entrance to the East Wing pic.twitter.com/pjaQ9yrhxB
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) November 29, 2021
Jill Biden forces little children to mask and social distance at the White House while she does neither.
This is beyond stupid. This is a cruel and sick abuse to children for a Christmas celebration.Share this to shame these wicked people. pic.twitter.com/fDLpd3ev6S
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 29, 2021
Bring back Melania Trump, Jill Biden is TERRIBLE! pic.twitter.com/jWYxYcZ7wR
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) November 30, 2021
I’m sorry but that is hideous.
— Amy (@mom2sassybeau) November 29, 2021
