Former Pence adviser: Women entering Trump White House face 'hostile environment'

An ex-adviser for former Vice President Mike Pence warned last week that women entering President-elect Trump's White House face a “hostile environment.”

“I’m not going to lie to you. No matter who you are, you are entering a hostile environment. I was fortunate — Mike Pence was a decent, respectful island in Trump’s sea of contempt. It will be much, much worse this time,” Olivia Troye wrote in a post on her Substack last week.

Troye, who served as a national security adviser to Pence, campaigned for Vice President Harris, Trump’s rival in the 2024 election. She left the first Trump administration in August 2020 and later became a critic of the president-elect.

Troye advised women entering the White House under Trump to “be strong,” adding that its “chauvinistic male-dominated culture will be exacerbated by the presence of Elon Musk, JD Vance, Donald Trump Jr., Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, and other ‘bros’ in positions of authority or influence.”

“It will be an intimidating environment, but stay true to your values, even when it is uncomfortable or unpopular. Remember, you have only yourself to face in the mirror every day,” she continued.

Gaetz, a former Florida congressman, withdrew last week from consideration as Trump's attorney general. Hegseth is facing an uncertain path to Senate confirmation as Defense secretary.

Troye also notably gave a warning in late 2020 about “violence on Jan. 6” in the wake of a post on the social platform X by the then-outgoing president.

“See you in Washington, DC, on January 6th. Don’t miss it. Information to follow!” Trump said at the time.

Troye said on MSNBC that she had worries about violence ahead, because “the president himself is encouraging it.”

The Hill has reached out to the Trump transition team for comment.