The relationship between President Donald Trump and Hope Hicks, the White House communications director, is being scrutinized more closely than ever.

Hicks is reportedly a key focus in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

Critics have also accused her of enabling Trump's worst instincts.



Few figures within President Donald Trump's administration have prompted as much interest and speculation as Hope Hicks, the mysterious communications director who had no political experience before she joined the Trump campaign. In no time, however, Hicks rose to the top echelons of the White House.

Her close-knit relationship with Trump has been thrust into a new light in recent weeks, as the 29-year-old Hicks has reportedly emerged as a focal point in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and potential collusion with the Trump campaign.

Hicks has also found herself at the center of a scandal over Rob Porter, the staff secretary who resigned on Wednesday after reports that he abused his two ex-wives. Hicks and Porter were romantically involved, and she reportedly helped draft a statement defending him after the allegations first went public.

Hicks has also come under increasing criticism by those inside and outside President Donald Trump's inner circle, who say she treats Trump in a way that enables his most impulsive behavior.

Here's what you need to know about the unusual relationship between Trump and his right-hand woman: