Who is Madeleine Westerhout, Trump's 27-year-old secretary and gatekeeper to the US President?

Madeleine Westerhout watches as President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with North Korean defectors in the Oval Office on February 2. Photo / Washington Post

In a transcript of a conversation released today between author Bob Woodward and US President Donald Trump, the commander in chief repeatedly complains that none of the half-dozen or so of his top aides and confidantes had passed along the journalist's request for an interview for his forthcoming book, Fear, about the Trump presidency.

"I never got a call," Trump laments. "I never got a message. Who did you ask about speaking to me?"

The exchange between the two men reveals much, but nothing so interesting as the pathway one apparently needs to take to reach Trump's ear. So who knows the route?

Well, it's not adviser Kellyanne Conway. Woodward had lunch with her and the two apparently talked extensively about Woodward getting some facetime with Trump, per the transcript. Conway, who entered the conversation at one point, said she passed along the request but didn't take it to Trump directly.

Not deputy press secretary Raj Shah, who one would expect would be the most direct contact for a journalist. "I don't speak to Raj," Trump said. Ouch.

Not Senator Lindsey Graham, or several other unidentified senators who Woodward says he spoke to about a possible interview. Graham mentioned it, Trump said, but only "quickly."

The sole way of reaching Trump, according to the President himself, is a woman named Madeleine. "Did you speak to Madeleine?" the President asked Woodward.

No, the journalist replied.

"Madeleine is the key," Trump said. "She's the secret. Because she's the person ..."

Trump didn't finish the thought, alas. But his description of Madeleine Westerhout, his 27-year-old executive assistant, piqued our interest.

Here's what we know about the surprisingly powerful aide: Westerhout first came to public attention in 2016 as the "greeter girl" for dignitaries visiting then President-elect Trump at Trump Tower.

At the time, she was assistant to Republican National Committee chief of staff Katie Walsh. Previously, the College of Charleston grad had interned for Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign, been a volunteer coordinator for former South Carolina senator John Kuhn, and interned for former congressman John Campbell, R, according to the Charleston Post and Courier.

"Inside Edition's" headline about the brunette identified the "mystery woman" in front of Trump Tower's lift cams as an "ex-fitness instructor," which the California native poked fun of on Twitter. "Love that I'm an 'ex-fitness instructor' but I only taught Pure Barre part time for a couple years ... my #1 priority has always been the RNC!" she wrote.

From her role with the transition team, Westerhout was among a slew of RNC staffers named to White House roles. Some of her fellow RNC alums haven't lasted at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.: Reince Priebus, Sean Spicer and Walsh have all since departed. But Westerhout's clout has only grown.

According to the most recent listing of West Wing staff titles and salaries, Westerhout makes US$130,000. In addition to being Trump's "executive assistant," she also has the title of "special assistant to the president," a designation among the senior staff of the White House that ranks below "assistant to the president" (Conway is one) and "deputy assistant to the president" (Shah is in this group).

Other things we know about Westerhout from her Twitter feed: She's fashionable - and frugal. (She shared a purchase of suede bow-accented stilettos she scored on upmarket consignment site Poshmark.) She's a Washington Capitals fan. And maybe a little into Prince Harry? "Meghan Markle living every American girl's dream right now," she wrote on the day of the royal wedding.

Trump is accustomed to having an underling who serves as his gatekeeper: For years, anyone wanting to reach Trump would do well to put in a line to Rhona Graff, his longtime personal assistant/secretary/lady Friday. "If I wanted to get something to Trump without calling his cellphone, I'd send it to Rhona," one Trump confidante told Politico in 2017.