McEntee’s firing is one of a series of recent White House departures.
John McEntee, who has served as the “body man” in the White House, was escorted by the Secret Service from the president’s mansion due to security clearance issues. The Daily Mail reports McEntee committed “serious financial crimes” and is “struggling with gambling addiction“, which has compromised his standing in the White House.
Later reports suggested that John McEntee was gambling online while he was in the White House. Presumably, McEntee’s issue included problem gambling, but also gambling which on the clock.
The body man or body woman is the U.S. president’s civilian personal assistant and sometime valet, who arranges lodging, transportaton, meals, and snacks for the president. The body man handles the president’s cell phone and other necessary assistance.
Other US politicians maintain body man support, including political candidates, cabinet level officials, and lawmakers.
In the past, US body men became minor notables among political circles and the pop culture.
What Is a Body Man?
Reggie Love, who served as Barack Obama’s body man from 2009 to 2011, became a minor celebrity. John McEntee’s younger brother, Zac McEntee, is a tennis player at UConn and a body man for US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
Huma Abedin was then-US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s body woman, but later became vice chair of the 2016 Clinton Campaign. Her laptop, which might have been used by Abedin’s ex-husband Anthony Weiner, was the key piece of evidence in the Comey Report days before the 2016 election.
American TV shows like The West Wing, Veep, and Madam Secretary each features a body man character.
John McEntee Profile
The 27-year old John McEntee seemed to have an All-American background. His father is an agent for private and corporate functions, including resorts like the Bellagio and Caesars Palace.
McEntee himself was the starting quarterback for the University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies in the 2011-12 season. His trick shot video became a viral YouTube video in 2011, collecting 7 million views and being featured on CNN.
McEntee became a production and social media assistant on Fox News. Inspired after watching Donald Trump’s campaign announcement, he lobbied for a job with the Trump Campaign and became a full-time trip director. Later in the campaign, he was Trump’s personal aide. Once Trump was elected, McEntee became a body men to the POTUS.
McEntee Fired from White House
On March 13, 2018, John McEntee suddenly was fired from his position in the White House. The Secret Service immediately escorted him from the White House grounds. Reportedly, McEntee was unable to even collect his belongings — or even his jacket.
A statement by White House security stated John McEntee was escorted out of the complex due to an “unspecified security issue”. Later in the day, the Department of Homeland Security stated McEntee was under investigation for “serious financial crimes”.
Financial Disclosure Forms
Previous financial disclosure forms showed no sign of financial distress. His prior salary history include $30,000 from Fox News Corporation and $93,000 from the Trump campaign. One bank account showed McEntee with between $15,000 and $50,000, while another showed him holding somewhere between $100,000 and $250,000.
A lot at his criminal record showed nothing alarming. He received a failure to honor a stop sign citation in 2005 and a driving without proof of insurance citation in 2007 — both minor traffic violations any American might have. Little else was known about John McEntee, except that he (like President Trump) was a teetotaler.
John McEntee’s Practical Jokes
Politico reported that John McEntee could reproduce President Donald Trump’s signature perfectly, a skill he used for practical jokes at the White House. He would dash off a note to other White House staffers, either praising them profusely or reprimanding them harshly — then jokingly reveal he was the source of the fake POTUS note.
The trouble point for John McEntee appears to be a recurring theme at the White House lately — failure to gain proper security clearance. The Rob Porter scandal revealed that over 100 White House staffers never received full security clearance from the FBI. Instead, they were given temporary security clearance — a method used to circumvent the need for higher clearances.
White House Security Clearances
Once the US media and US Congress learned of the White House policies, it became impossible to maintain indefinitely-long temporary clearances for staff members. Behind the scenes, it was revealed White House Chief of Staff John Kelly was reviewing all clearances. It appears John McEntee’s review turned up problem gambling.
A history of problem gambling would make it impossible for a White House staff member to gain top secret clearance. The mere fact of gambling addiction would open the person to blackmail by foreign powers, while debts incurred by problem gambling might make a staff member susceptible to bribery or corruption from domestic or foreign sources.
Senior Adviser for Campaign Operations 2020
Donald Trump does not appear to be concered about John McEntee’s financial issues. Within 24 hours of his dismissal from the White House, the Trump Campaign 2020 rehired McEntee. His new position is Senior Adviser for Campaign Operations.
