Ex-Trump staffer who branded administration 'team of vipers' rejoins president's workforce, report says

'Mr Sims is a staunch supporter of my father and his America First agenda,' Donald Trump Jr says

One of Donald Trump’s former aides who wrote a tell-all book about the administration and sued the president has re-joined his workforce, according to a report.

Cliff Sims, the author of Team of Vipers, released in 2019, has taken up a position overseeing speech writing for the upcoming Republican National Convention (RNC), ABC News reported.

Multiple sources told the broadcaster that Mr Sims is also leading the efforts for remarks by the president’s children, including Donald Trump Jr and Tiffany Trump.

“Mr Sims is a staunch supporter of my father and his America First agenda. He fought to elect President Trump on the 2016 campaign and has done a terrific job as Alabama co-chair of Trump Victory this year,” Mr Trump Jr told the outlet.

He added: “I’m excited that he’s now working with the convention team to help make this year’s RNC a gigantic success.”

Mr Sims previously worked as director of White House message strategy and a special assistant to the president.

The White House said that Sims had been fired from his role, an accusation that he disputed.

“What I thought was missing was a firsthand account of the truth about what it’s like to work there, by somebody who’s willing to put their name on it,” Mr Sims told CNN at the time of the release.

The book portrayed the Trump White House as a web of infighting, backstabbing, and intrigue, but remained flattering of the president.

Following the release, Mr Trump and his associates accused Mr Sims of violating a non-disclosure agreement.

“A low level staffer that I hardly knew named Cliff Sims wrote yet another boring book based on made up stories and fiction,” Mr Trump said in a tweet in response.

“He pretended to be an insider when in fact he was nothing more than a gofer. He signed a non-disclosure agreement. He is a mess!”

Mr Sims subsequently sued the president, accusing him of attempting to violate his first amendment rights, but the lawsuit was dropped last year, ABC News reported.

Despite the controversy, Mr Sims’ return has reportedly been welcomed inside the White House.

“Mr Sims has been an outspoken supporter of the president and a resource for the administration since the beginning,” a senior White House official reportedly told the broadcaster.

“He has a real talent for communicating the president’s message and vision, and so it was a no-brainer for the political team to turn to him for a helping hand with the convention speakers.”