Desiree Rogers will step down as White House social secretary next month, a senior White House official has confirmed to POLITICO. It was originally reported in the Chicago Sun-Times that Rogers would resign.
“As we turn the corner on the first year, this is a good time for me to explore opportunities in the corporate world,” Rogers told columnist Lynn Sweet, adding that it was “an honor and a privilege to serve this president and First Lady, in what has certainly been a historic presidency.”
Rumors about Rogers’s possible resignation have been circulating for months, especially after the office suffered embarrassment when three guests allegedly crashed the White House state dinner honoring India in November. The White House said the three individuals — Tareq and Michaele Salahi and Carlos Allen – were not invited. Rogers took heat after she failed to post anyone from the East Wing at the security checkpoint where guests for the dinner entered. A Secret Service investigation was launched and even though the Secret Service did accept some responsibility, East Wing procedures changed. After the gate-crashing incident, White House staffers have helped ensure that only invited guests made it through security checkpoints.
Rogers has been an Obama family friend for years.
Her former husband, John Rogers , served as Obama’s Inagural Co-Chair and played basketball with Michelle Obama’s brother. Rogers is also close friends with White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett.
