Why Melania Trump fired her longtime friend
US First Lady Melania Trump has fired her friend Stephanie Winston Wolkoff after backlash over the $US26 million ($33 million) she received to plan Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Mr Trump was “enraged” over the huge bill, report The New York Times.
Mrs Winston Wolkoff’s firm WIS Media Partners – which was established as a company just weeks before the inauguration and Mrs Trump’s first hire as first lady – spent twice as much money than Barack Obama’s inauguration despite drawing fewer people.
Mrs Trump’s spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said the office had “severed the gratuitous services contract with Ms. Wolkoff,” who she said had been employed as “a special government employee”.
“We thank her for her hard work and wish her all the best,” she said.
Mrs Trump and Mrs Winston Wolkoff, who was previously an event planner for Vogue, have been friends for years, with the pair regularly pictured on together.
Mrs Winston Wolkoff defended the exorbitant bill, saying she would continue to offer her advice to her friend Mrs Trump in an “informal” capacity.
“I was informed by the White House counsel’s office that all gratuitous volunteer contracts were ended,” she said. “I expect to remain a trusted source for advice and support on an informal basis.”
“I am proud of the work that we did to support the inauguration,” she said.
Mrs Winston Wolkoff said her firm “retained a total of $US1.62 million for all of its consulting and creative services, which was divided among our staff of 15 members (including myself).”
Mrs Trump’s spokeswoman said the first lady “had no involvement” with the inaugural committee and that she “had no knowledge of how funds were spent.”