Olivia Troye, former White House advisor, revealed in an interview with EFE that during her time in Donald Trump's administration, the former president maintained a dual stance regarding Venezuela. While publicly criticizing Nicolás Maduro's government, he privately expressed admiration for him, considering him a 'strong' man. Troye, a lifelong Republican who will now vote for Kamala Harris, shared the 'internal conflict' she experienced in the White House as the senior advisor on national security and counterterrorism to then-Vice President Mike Pence.
In the meetings she attended, Troye was struck by how naturally Trump praised dictators and 'strong men,' leading her to question the former president's true intentions. Despite his vigorous public rhetoric against Maduro, Trump privately supported the Venezuelan leader, creating confusion and disappointment for Troye, who expected to see responsible leadership in the White House instead of political games.
Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric also personally affected Troye, whose mother emigrated from Mexico and grew up in El Paso speaking Spanish and maintaining ties with communities in Mexico. The former advisor expressed her confusion upon witnessing the contradictions between Trump's public and private discourse, especially on issues like freedom in Venezuela and the relationship with Maduro.
Troye emphasized the importance of having a president who takes issues seriously, especially in times of crisis, and governs for all citizens. Her testimony adds to the warnings from other Trump ex-advisors about the possible risks of a second term. Her decision to leave the White House in 2020, partly due to the handling of the pandemic, led her to change her political stance and support Joe Biden in the 2020 elections, becoming an advocate for Kamala Harris.
Troye shared personal experiences, such as the racist shooting in El Paso in 2019, which illustrated how Trump's language and actions had an impact on communities. Her commitment to Harris and her participation in initiatives like 'Republicans for Harris' reflect her desire to preserve democracy in the United States. Even her former Chief of Staff, General John Kelly, recently stated that Trump fits the definition of 'fascist' and revealed controversial comments from the former president.
