Hope Hicks is leaving the White House following Rob Porter controversy

More high-level resignations, along with drama surrounding tariffs and the Chinese presidency in this week’s Trump-free Friday politics roundup.

Hope Hicks will resign as Communications Director

Like rats fleeing a sinking ship, the steady stream of ex-White House employees continues to grow. Now, Communications Director Hope Hicks joins the group of former employees. On Wednesday, she announced that she will be resigning in a matter of weeks.

Hicks’ departure is somewhat surprising. She has kept a relatively low profile and was more loyal to the administration than others. Even in the face of historic staff departures, Hicks was one of the last people anyone might have expected to leave. The President has been very complimentary of her work, for one.

In an administration where it’s common to come under fire in the president’s Twitter feed or other media appearances, that’s something to speak of. Hicks first developed this friendly, almost familial relationship while working for the President’s daughter, Ivanka, in 2014.

Why is Hicks departing now? It may have something to do with her role in the controversy surrounding Rob Porter, a former White House aide accused of domestic abuse. Hicks helped orchestrate the White House’s initial defense of Porter without consulting with Chief of Staff John Kelly. Hicks already reported dated Porter at the time.

On Tuesday, Hicks dug herself even further into trouble. She admitted before the House Intelligence Committee that she occasionally told “white lies” for the President. Hicks and her lawyers quickly clarified that there were no such lies related to Russia or possible election tampering.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico quits

Ambassador Roberta S. Jacobson is one of the latest State Department officials to leave her post. Jacobson proved to be one of the most experienced officials in the Department. She spent nearly all of her 31-year career focusing on Latin America, though her ambassadorship was just short of two years.

“This decision is all the more difficult because of my profound belief in the importance of the U.S.-Mexico relationship and knowledge that it is at a crucial moment,” Jacobson wrote in a memo circulated amongst her embassy staff.

That “crucial moment” has much to do with current tensions between the United States and Mexico, particularly those focusing on immigration. Between that ever-discussed and still-unconstructed border wall and rumblings about NAFTA, relations between the two countries are not going well.

Certainly, that stress did not make Jacobson’s job easier, despite her connections in the region. She was also undermined by diplomatic efforts that came directly from the White House, sometimes via presidential son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner.

Billy Graham’s remembrance points to intersection of evangelism and politics

Evangelical preacher Billy Graham made his career in part by building connections with politicians. His rise to prominence was deeply linked to the rise of evangelical Christianity within national political circles. These often included U.S. presidents from the time of Harry Truman onward. His preaching often exhorted Christians to become involved in activism and politics within their own communities.

This brand of politically engaged religion helped Graham and his movement rise to prominence throughout the world. However, the future of this brand of politics is in doubt, with numbers of evangelicals plummeting. Still, Graham’s acclaim is such that he lay in state in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, only the fourth private citizen ever to receive such an honor. He died the week before at the age of 99.

Brexit is still contentious

U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May has said that she will not accept the Brexit agreement drafted by the EU. Specifically, she rejected passages detailing customs arrangements at the Irish border. The draft agreement proposed that Northern Ireland (which is still part of the U.K.) be subject to the EU customs union and the European Court of Justice.

However, May wants Brexit as a full package. She argued that this particular plan could destabilize the British economy and government. However, May is also facing an increased backlash at home, with some voters and lawmakers now walking back their anti-EU rhetoric. May will outline her own version of the agreement in a speech this Friday.

Proposed U.S. tariffs cause worldwide concern

No, you’re not back in middle school social studies class. This time around, you can’t afford to simply fall asleep while we speak about “tariffs” and “trade agreements.” This is the real deal, and it’s important.

Case in point: the steel and aluminum tariffs announced by the president on Thursday. He promised to impose heavy taxes for steel and aluminum imported to the United States. This is all in a bid to bolster U.S. production of these materials. Steel importers would have to work with a 25 percent tariff, while aluminum would face a 10 percent tax.

Reaction to the announcement was swift. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 420 points (1.7 percent), while many foreign markets responded in a similar manner.

Both U.S. and foreign lawmakers were generally skeptical of the move. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said, “I encourage the president to carefully consider all of the implications of raising the cost of steel and aluminum on American manufacturers and consumers”.

“The imposition of a tariff like this will do nothing other than distort trade and ultimately, we believe, will lead to a loss of jobs,” said Australian trade minister Steven Ciobo. Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland released a statement that read: “Should restrictions be imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum products, Canada will take responsive measures to defend its trade interests and workers.”

Meanwhile, Asian importers are becoming worried that their home markets will become flooded with steel that cannot go elsewhere. Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, stated that “China urges the United States to show restraint in using protective trade measures, respect multilateral trade rules, and make a positive contribution to international trade order.”

Xi Jinping makes an authoritarian move

On Sunday, the Chinese Communist Party proposed abolishing its presidential term limits. This means that the current Chinese president, Xi Jinping, could stay in office indefinitely. Though media sources within the country say that’s not necessarily the case, few are relaxing after the announcement. Previously, Chinese presidents have been limited to two five-year terms.

Chinese censors quickly moved into action, banning obvious anti-presidential sentiments along with less-apparent signs such as the letter “n” (since reinstated) and Winnie the Pooh. The Chinese people’s reaction to these moves has been complex. More liberal elites living in large cities have not found much to like in these moves. However, others may respond more warmly to Xi’s projection of power, despite its authoritarian and patriarchal themes.

And, finally, your palate cleanser

Fonts and typography are yet another one of those fields where men have historically dominated. However, recent developments within the world of design have pushed for more fonts and types designed by women.

So, if you’re totally sick of writing in, say, Times New Roman or Arial, check out some of the ones listed at Typequality, where all the fonts are designed by women. Alphabettes is a community of female letterers and designers that boasts over 200 members and a mentorship program.

Next: Trump-free Friday politics roundup: Feb. 23

Of course, a simple listing of women who have designed fonts doesn’t quite get at the heart of the matter. Format magazine presents an in-depth exploration of gender equality issues in the world of typography. Bust published another, shorter article on the same subject.