Donald Trump's personal assistant has resigned after sharing information about his family at a dinner with journalists, according to US media reports.

Madeleine Westerhout, who had been in her role since the start of the Trump administration in 2017, is said to have stepped down on Thursday.

The 29-year-old's departure came after Mr Trump learned she had shared information about his family in an off-the-record chat with reporters, an anonymous source told the New York Times.

Ms Westerhout is also said to have discussed Oval operations she was involved in at the dinner near Bedminster, New Jersey, where the president was on his working vacation at the beginning of August.

A former White House official told CNN that Mr Trump was close with his personal assistant, but that discussing information about his family was a red line.


Ms Westerhout was reportedly considered a "separated employee" on Thursday and would not be allowed to return to the White House on Friday.

Image: Donald Trump was said to be close with Madeleine Westerhout. Pic: Myles Cullen/White House

She had been the only way to contact Mr Trump other than by calling his mobile phone, according to the Washington Post.

White House correspondent for the New York Times, Annie Karni, tweeted: "Westerhout was not a decision maker, but she enjoyed unique access to Trump."

Ms Westerhout's power is said to have come almost entirely from her closeness to the president, with her office sitting in front of the Oval Office.

She has never appeared on television unless she happened to be standing close to the president.

Her resignation marks the latest in a long line of high-ranking departures in the Trump administration.

The latest to quit was Labour Secretary Alexander Acosta, who had been criticised over his handling of disgraced billionaire Jeffrey Epstein's plea deal in 2008.

Ms Westerhout, a former Republican National Committee aide, previously worked on Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign.

She is reported to have cried when Mr Trump secured victory in the 2016 presidential election.

The real estate tycoon is said to have been wary of her in the early days of his administration.