Abigail Jackson, the White House deputy press secretary, will leave her post on August 7 to join Republican communications firm OnMessage Public Strategies, a move that draws praise from top Trump officials.

Jackson announced her departure on X, calling President Trump "the greatest President of my lifetime" and thanking colleagues she worked alongside on behalf of the American people. The Hill first detailed the transition, noting that Axios had broken the initial news of her exit and that the Real Daily Wire first reported her replacement.

Lauren Bis, currently the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, will step into Jackson's role. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the move on X, writing that Bis "has been a key player at DHS since day one and she will fit right in at the White House."

Jackson built a deep résumé before reaching the West Wing

Jackson joined the White House in May 2025 as deputy press secretary. By January, she had added the title of special assistant to the president. Newsmax reported that her portfolio included overseeing press strategy for the Department of Justice, DHS, and the U.S. Capitol, a broad mandate for a communications aide still early in a White House tenure.

Before arriving at the White House, Jackson worked her way through the ranks of Republican politics. She served as deputy press secretary for former Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana, then moved to Sen. Josh Hawley's office, where she rose from press secretary to deputy chief of staff and communications director. She also held roles as deputy communications director at the Republican National Committee and as a rapid response specialist for Donald J. Trump for President Inc.

That trajectory, from Capitol Hill press shops to a presidential campaign to the West Wing, explains why senior officials spoke about her departure in unusually warm terms. Voluntary exits from a functioning White House tend to produce polite statements. The volume of praise Jackson received went beyond the standard template.

Leavitt and Miller offered more than boilerplate farewells

Leavitt, who returned to the podium earlier this year after maternity leave, issued a statement that went well beyond pleasantries. She called Jackson "one of the best communicators in Republican politics" and credited her with shaping press coverage and delivering the president's message "at the highest level."

"But what truly sets Abby apart is her character. She's a workhorse and someone you can always count on to get the job done."

Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller struck a similar note, calling Jackson a "communications powerhouse."

"She has skillfully spearheaded messaging on many of the Administration's most critical and celebrated policy initiatives and has earned universal praise and admiration from her peers and colleagues."

Miller did not specify which policy initiatives he meant, but the scope of Jackson's portfolio, spanning DOJ, DHS, and Capitol affairs, placed her at the center of some of the administration's most high-profile messaging fights on immigration enforcement, law enforcement, and congressional relations.

OnMessage Public Strategies lands a West Wing veteran

OnMessage Public Strategies, the GOP-affiliated communications and consulting firm, confirmed Jackson's hire on social media, calling her a "rock star." The firm's roster gains a staffer with direct White House experience and deep ties to both the Trump campaign apparatus and Capitol Hill Republican leadership.

Not every White House departure this year has carried the same tone. Jackson's exit stands out precisely because it appears to be a straightforward career move rather than the product of internal friction or controversy. No one in the West Wing distanced themselves from her. No anonymous sources offered a competing narrative.

Jackson posted her own farewell on X, keeping the focus on the president and her colleagues rather than on herself:

"President Trump is the greatest President of my lifetime, it's been a tremendous honor to work for his Administration and alongside such talented colleagues on behalf of the American people. Looking forward to this next chapter!"

Bis steps up from DHS to fill the deputy role

Lauren Bis's move from DHS to the White House press office keeps the deputy press secretary slot filled by someone already embedded in the administration's communications infrastructure. Leavitt framed the transition as seamless, noting on X that Bis had been integral to DHS operations "since day one."

No start date for Bis has been announced beyond the fact that Jackson's last day is August 7. The Leavitt-led press shop has managed multiple personnel transitions this year while maintaining a combative public posture toward the White House press corps.

Personnel changes at the Department of Homeland Security have drawn scrutiny throughout the administration, and pulling Bis from that agency's public affairs office could leave a gap at a department frequently in the news over border enforcement and immigration policy. No replacement for Bis at DHS has been named.

Other administration personnel moves this year have drawn sharp debate, but Jackson's departure has so far generated only goodwill from colleagues and supervisors, a rarity in any White House, regardless of party.

When a staffer leaves Washington with her reputation intact and her former bosses fighting to say the nicest things, the simplest explanation is usually the right one: she did the job well, and she left on her own terms. That used to be the norm. These days, it is worth noting.