Letter of Resignation of Thomas C. Griscom as Assistant to the President for Communications and Planning

June 16, 1988

Dear Mr. President:

It is with deep regret that today I ask to be relieved of my duties as Assistant to the President for Communications and Planning effective June 30. There is never a good time to make such a request. But after careful consideration of both personal and professional obligations, I have reached this decision.

Over the past seven years, I have had the opportunity to be involved -- either directly or indirectly -- in implementing many of the policies that you have advanced. As an aide to then-Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker, I was able to observe the early steps that you took to chart a new spirit in America and to begin the longest peacetime economic expansion in history. In February 1987, I was privileged to be asked to become part of the White House team that was put together by your new chief-of-staff, Senator Baker. This was a period of great challenge, but also of great promise. With your direction, the past 16 months have been a time to finish the work of today, and to look ahead to tomorrow.

To have been part of the team that worked on the Washington and Moscow summits will remain as the high points of my tenure at the White House, because not only did you achieve the first agreement to reduce U.S. and Soviet nuclear missiles, but you also laid the foundation for a continued, broad relationship between our two countries.

So when I think back to these last several months, it will be with fond memories and a sense of pride to have been on this team. I feel the White House staff under Senator Baker's leadership has performed extremely well. I am confident that same performance will continue under the leadership of Ken Duberstein, because much remains to be done over the next seven months.

My best wishes are with you and Mrs. Reagan in the months and years ahead.

Sincerely,

Thomas C. Griscom

Note: The original was not available for verification of the content of the letter.