(WSVN) - While President Donald Trump and Press Secretary Sean Spicer provide the face for the White House, a Miami native is working behind the scenes to put a spotlight on issues facing the South Florida community.
Helen Aguirre Ferre is the Director of Media Affairs and Special Assistant to the President. She told 7News that she’s especially passionate about education and U.S.-Cuba policy, the latter of which she believes the Trump administration has a special opportunity to affect.
“So exciting. You know, it’s a privilege to be able to serve,” she said. “There are a lot of things that are so important here that we are trying to push out on a national level that have already been done in Florida, which is so critical and important.”
Aguirre Ferre said the Trump White House can try to influence the Cuban regime, a possible pushback after President Obama normalized relations by easing sanctions and ending the “wet foot, dry foot” policy.
“The President has been very clear that he is concerned about what is going on in Cuba,” she said. “He is reviewing all Cuba policy that has gone out in the past few years of normalizing relationships under the Obama administration. Everything is on the table.”
Aguirre Ferre has a unique perspective when it comes to Latin-American relations. She is the daughter of Horacio Aguirre, a Nicaraguan journalist who founded the Spanish newspaper Diario Las Americas. She’s worked in Miami TV and is on the Miami Dade College Board of Trustees.
Aguirre Ferre said she’s eager to work with South Floridians, even those who are not necessarily fans of the president.
“Hold our feet to the fire,” she said. “Make sure that we’re doing the right thing. Make us accountable. We want to be accountable.”
Accountable, she said, even to mistakes and disappointments.
“The beauty of democracy is when you make a mistake, you correct the error,” said Aguirre Ferre, “and President Trump has a successful business. He has had many successes, and when he hasn’t been successful, he corrects and redirects and wins at the end.”
Aguirre Ferre is one of the top ranking Hispanic officials in the White House. She said she will make sure Miami stays on Trump’s radar.
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