Speaking for Myself

by Sarah Huckabee Sanders

  Shortly after the ceremony the president delivered a speech from the White House laying out a compromise with Democrats—temporary protection to young people who had come to the country illegally with their parents—one of the Democrats’ top immigration priorities—in exchange for funding to secure the border and reopen the government. It was a major concession from the president. Democrats were getting nearly everything they’d asked for, but as usual they put their politics ahead of the country and rejected the deal because it meant funding the president’s wall.

  On Sunday afternoon the president called me at home, frustrated by the Democrats’ unwillingness to compromise. He was also angry about a former staffer who had betrayed him after leaving the White House. He asked me, “Sarah, would you ever do that?” Before I could respond he answered for me. “I know my Sarah, you would never do that. How do I know? Because you’re a Christian and you wouldn’t get into heaven if you did.” He laughed, and said, “That’s why I’ve always liked religious people!” We talked a bit more and he asked me if I thought the Democrats would ever come around. I said, “No, sir. I doubt it.” He agreed and hung up.

  It was clear the president was getting nowhere with Congress. The only way he’d be able to build the wall was to declare a national emergency and do it himself. The president was set to give a speech in the Rose Garden and as he was reviewing the final draft of his remarks he said, “I want to say I’m going to declare a national emergency, but White House counsel tells me I need to say I’ll ‘use authority given to me under the law and Constitution.’ I like national emergency better. It’s stronger. This is weak. I hate it. But I’m in a good mood so I’ll listen to the attorneys this time.”

  President Trump announced from the Rose Garden he’d support a three-week continuing resolution to reopen government and back pay federal workers to give Congress time to negotiate a bipartisan solution. Following the president’s remarks I said, “In twenty-one days President Trump is moving forward building the wall with or without the Democrats. The only outstanding question is whether the Democrats want something or nothing.”

  With the three-week continuing resolution the president’s State of the Union speech was back on, and I spent the day in the Map Room with the president, Miller, Scavino, Derek, Jared, and Ivanka going through it. We worked for more than three and a half hours on the first few pages before the president had to step out for a dinner with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin. As he was getting ready to head upstairs he asked, “You think we are good here then?” Miller said, “Sir, there’s a dozen or more pages to go.” He told us he would be back in an hour and we could work some more. He came back from dinner in a good mood and we set back to work. Around 8:30 p.m. I grabbed my coat and tried to quietly step out of the room. As I did, the president stopped practicing his speech and asked, “Are you tired? Bored? Heading home for some beauty rest?”

  “No, sir, I am on Hannity tonight.”

  “Great!” He immediately started giving me suggestions on what I should say.

  The day of the State of the Union most of us went over to the Capitol with the first lady so we could more easily get through security into the House Chamber. I had been so focused on all the details of the day that I missed the memo that the female Democratic members of Congress planned to wear all white in solidarity to protest President Trump. It was a bit awkward when I showed up in a white dress myself!

  After the State of the Union, I went with the president to a rally in El Paso, Texas. The atmosphere was electric. I watched President Trump as he walked out onto the stage framed by FINISH THE WALL banners, and the crowd went wild. House and Senate negotiators had just announced a compromise deal to keep government open and fund some border security but the president was noncommittal at the rally: “Just so you know—we’re building the wall anyway.… Walls work. Walls save lives.”

  Finally there was momentum to end the shutdown. Prior to the Senate vote to fund the government, Majority Leader McConnell called the president. Pat Cipollone, Shahira Knight, Mick, Scavino, Kirstjen, and I were in the room when the president answered. He told McConnell: “I don’t know, Mitch, some of my people are telling me this legislation ties my hands. If I can’t do a national emergency and build the wall, I can’t sign this legislation.”

  “Sure you can,” Mitch said. “My lawyers say you can.”

  The president sensed an opening to lock in the majority leader. “So you’ll support the national emergency?”

  “If you sign the legislation, yes,” Mitch said.

  “Great, we have a deal!”

  “I’m going to the floor to announce your support now,” Mitch said. “Do I have your permission to do so?”

  “Yes, get out there, Mitch.”

  McConnell all but ran to the floor—probably concerned the president might change his mind—and announced President Trump would sign legislation to keep the government open and declare a national emergency, and that he’d support it.

  As McConnell addressed the Senate, my phone buzzed with questions from reporters looking for the White House to confirm the senator’s statement. I told the president we needed to back him up. The president agreed and I issued a statement that read, “President Trump will sign the government funding bill, and as he has stated before, he will also take other executive action—including a national emergency—to ensure we stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border. The president is once again delivering on his promise to build the wall, protect the border, and secure our great country.”

  As I walked back to my office from the president’s dining room there were twenty to thirty reporters lined up in the hall outside my door, and as soon as they saw me they started shouting questions and looking for more details. “How did it all come together?” “Are you ready for a legal challenge?” I said, “We’re very prepared, but there shouldn’t be. The president’s doing his job.” I stepped into my office and closed the door, relieved the shutdown was over and the president wasn’t backing down from his promise to build the wall.

  The next morning Bryan and I went to Scarlett’s Presidents’ Day performance at Jamestown Elementary School, where the first- graders sang songs about the early presidents. After I got a few pictures with Scarlett and gave her a big hug, I rushed to the White House just before the president walked out to the Rose Garden to address the country and declare a national emergency at the border and reallocate funds to build the wall.

  It was a defining moment for his presidency. If there was one promise the president couldn’t break, it was his promise to build the wall. For decades Republican and Democratic politicians had said they’d secure the border but had never done it. The problem only got worse, as millions of illegal immigrants and billions of dollars in illegal drugs poured across our southern border. President Trump’s supporters believed he was different from other politicians, and would actually do what he said he’d do. By enduring the longest government shutdown in American history over border security—and when all else failed—declaring a national emergency to build the wall, the president clearly demonstrated he’d do whatever it takes.

  It often wasn’t pretty, and I’m not going to pretend like the president was always politically correct. He wasn’t. But that’s one of the reasons the American people loved him. He wasn’t a scripted robot. He’d tell it like it is, often using colorful and inflammatory language. On occasion his rhetoric went too far. But let’s be clear: there’s nothing wrong about standing up for the American people. My dad used to say, “Thank God we live in a country people are trying to break into rather than break out of.” We are blessed to live in the greatest country in the world, and our people are generous and compassionate. We welcome immigrants who want to come here the right way and contribute to our society, but we are also a nation of laws, and must first and foremost protect American lives and livelihoods.

  11

  Warrior

  On June 3
, 2019, I departed Joint Base Andrews–Naval Air Facility on Air Force One with the president as part of the official US delegation on his long-anticipated state visit to the United Kingdom. It was an honor to be included in the delegation and although I’d accompanied the president on every foreign trip since the inauguration and loved them all, I was most excited about this one. A while back I’d asked Joe Hagin, deputy chief of staff for operations for President George W. Bush and President Trump, to recall the greatest trip he’d ever taken in his decade of planning foreign trips for US presidents. Without hesitation, he said the UK state visit he’d done with President Bush. “Don’t miss your chance to go with President Trump,” he said. Like most American women my age I followed the lives of the royal family and was looking forward to meeting them and getting to experience their world up close. On the trip we’d also go to Normandy to participate in the seventy-fifth anniversary of D-Day, and finish at Doonbeg, the president’s golf resort in Ireland. For White House staff, this was the most coveted foreign trip on which to join the president, by far, and I couldn’t wait.

  Air Force One landed at London Stansted Airport and we went straight to Buckingham Palace for the first official greeting. The delegation arrived at the palace via motorcade while the president, first lady, and US ambassador to the UK and owner of the New York Jets Woody Johnson and his wife arrived on Marine One. As they were landing, the rest of us stood on the second floor of Buckingham Palace in the White Drawing Room, which had twenty-five-foot windows with large golden drapes opened so we could see out. I stepped out onto a balcony just off the room for a better view as the royal family of the United Kingdom—His Royal Highness Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Her Royal Highness Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall—welcomed America’s First Family. To no one’s surprise the first lady looked stunning. She was wearing a fitted Dolce & Gabbana stark-white dress with midnight blue accents on the waist and collar and an Hervé Pierre custom-designed wide-brimmed hat. The president had on a dark blue suit and a solid light blue tie. The foursome made their way up the stairs where the Queen in her signature styled suit in aquamarine greeted them and received them into Buckingham Palace.

  In Buckingham Palace we waited with British Army Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, a Ghanaian-born officer who fought in the Afghanistan War and was the Queen’s most trusted assistant. He went by “T.A.” for short, had a great sense of humor, and was not only an expert on the palace, but also our guide to royal protocol. He had been with our team when we came for a quick visit to the UK the year before and seeing him was like seeing an old friend. T.A. was the first black person ever appointed as the Queen’s equerry and took his job seriously. He knew most of us were nervous about breaking protocol and saying or doing something we weren’t supposed to. He put us all at ease and made us feel comfortable and welcome.

  * * *

  The president and first lady had a special greeting with the Queen and the royal family and then we joined together for a formal receiving line. The president introduced the Queen and the first lady introduced Prince Charles to us. We had been told not to reach out to shake the Queen’s hand unless she extended her hand first. Thankfully she reached out to take my hand as the president said, “This is Sarah Huckabee Sanders. You have probably seen her before. Everyone knows her.”

  The Queen nodded and said, “I do. Nice to meet you, Sarah.”

  The Queen turned to the president and said, “She is tough and does a good job.”

  The first lady then came with Prince Charles. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Sarah,” he said. “You are wonderfully talented. I don’t know how you do it. I imagine it can be very challenging.”

  Prince Harry was next. He was charming and gracious, making polite conversation as he made his way down the line. He remarked about how difficult the press could be.

  “Hopefully they’re nicer to you than the president,” I said.

  He laughed. “Unfortunately that isn’t always the case.”

  After the receiving line was over the Queen walked the president and first lady through the Grand Hall where royal artifacts from the Queen’s collection were on display. The artifacts represented pieces that showed the long and strong bond between our two countries and a few things that would be of particular interest to the president. There was a historic eighteenth-century map of New York City, old photos of golfers at St. Andrews, the British copy of the Declaration of Independence, and a horse statuette that President Trump had given the Queen on his previous visit. Gifts from the president and first lady on this trip were also part of the display.

  We then attended a formal lunch where I sat next to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, best known as the president of the All England Club, which Americans recognize as Wimbledon. Prince Edward presented the trophy to the Wimbledon champion and runner-up every year alongside Princess Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.

  We departed Buckingham Palace and went to Westminster Abbey where Prince Andrew, Duke of York, accompanied the first couple. We were all able to tag along on the tour, and Ivanka and I got a few pictures of each other next to the side-by-side tombs of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Queen Elizabeth I, where a plaque read, REMEMBER BEFORE GOD ALL THOSE WHO DIVIDED AT THE REFORMATION BY DIFFERENT CONVICTIONS LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR CHRIST AND CONSCIENCE SAKE.

  While everyone was focused on the program, I stepped away to the side of the historic church where dozens of tables had been set with small votive candles, some already lit and some waiting to be lit. I stopped and with the voices from our group echoing off the walls of the church I closed my eyes and said a prayer for my family, as the president and first lady prepared to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

  Afterward I rushed back to my hotel to get ready for the State Dinner that night at Buckingham Palace. I put on a true-red floor-length Chiara Boni La Petite Robe evening gown with Jimmy Choo heels and had my hair pulled back in a low and loose bun. The day had already been spectacular, but that evening was something every girl dreams of. We arrived and I wasn’t sure if it was because we were having dinner at Buckingham Palace or all the royals present, but it felt to us in the US delegation like we were royalty for the night. We entered the palace and were immediately directed up the Grand Staircase, which had an elaborate all gold railing and red carpet with full-length portraits of Queen Victoria’s family covering the walls, to a holding room. Despite being told not to take too many photos, I called all nineteen of us in the room together and asked T.A. to take a group picture. Among those who joined us were the president’s adult children—Ivanka, Don Jr., Eric, and Tiffany. For reasons I still don’t understand, a lot of reporters were angry that the president’s children attended the state visit with him, despite the fact that many presidents’ children traveled and attended events with the president and first lady in previous administrations. President Trump’s family had been attacked like never before in our country’s history, but to their credit, they didn’t let the liberal critics stand in their way of joining their dad for this memorable occasion.

  We were moved from the holding room to the Music Room, where most royal christenings take place, including those of Prince Charles and Prince William. It was also home to Queen Victoria’s beautiful grand piano that Condoleezza Rice played when she was there with President Bush. Here we were paired with our escort and dinner partners for the evening. My escort into the State Dinner was Prince Michael of Kent, a seventy-six-year-old first cousin of Her Majesty the Queen. I decided after only five minutes of talking to him that I was going to really like him and have fun that night. Prince Michael had a white beard and wore a full service dress accompanied with the traditional sash, and he had military service medals covering the left side of his jacket. He asked if I knew what I was doing and I said, “Not really.”

  He reassured me in his thick British accent, “Not to worry, just follow my lead and you won’t go astray.”

  Prince Michael then charmingly gave me a piece of advice he said someone
once gave him the first time he went to one of these events: “When in doubt, just do as the royals do!”

  I gripped his arm tightly and held on as we glided down the red carpeted hallway to the dinner. We were seated at a large horseshoe table big enough to accommodate about 125 people. It was one of the most elegant rooms I had ever seen. Despite its size and grandeur the dinner felt intimate. An orchestra kicked it off by playing both countries’ national anthems, followed by toasts from the Queen and President Trump. We had been told that when the Queen puts her fork down it’s a signal to everyone that the meal is over and no one should continue eating. We followed suit. As the meal ended, pipers came in from the back of the room and played. The president loved it. He was a big fan of the bagpipes and had a piper play every night at his golf club in Scotland. After dinner we went through another receiving line and thanked the Queen for having us. We then moved into the State Rooms for coffee and petits fours. All of the royal family attended. I had said hello very briefly before the dinner to Prince William and Princess Kate but hadn’t really had the chance to talk to them. It was clear everyone wanted to meet them and when I noticed Secretary Mnuchin and Ivanka visiting with them, I slipped into the conversation. Prince William and Princess Kate were both warm and hospitable, and for about ten minutes we traded funny stories about our kids. One of the big topics of the evening among our team was speculating who is taller—Ivanka or Kate? It turned out they were about the same height and standing next to the two of them was a bit intimidating. Kate’s hair that night was perfectly done, an intricate braid set low just above her shoulders, and every woman in the room wanted a closer look.

  After the dinner we were all chatting and taking our final photos in the palace. I mentioned to Louise Linton, actress and wife of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, that Americans had earned our notoriety for being too loud and taking too many selfies. She threw her head back and in her thick Scottish accent said, “Well then let’s prove them right!” and we took a selfie right there in the hallway. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin had been there since day one for the president and was instrumental on tax cuts and USMCA, and Louise was always the life of the party.