Porter’s departure had a broader ripple effect on the building as well. He had been a steady hand, competent and levelheaded at least at work, someone who had smoothed out a tumultuous operation and stopped some of Trump’s more extreme ideas from getting too far. He insisted that “these outrageous allegations are simply false” and the result of “a coordinated smear campaign,” without going into further detail.[56] But it said something about the Trump White House that the resignation of an accused domestic abuser would cost it perhaps its most effective and professional staff member.
