White House spokesman Tony Snow stepping down

WASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, who has been battling cancer, plans to step down on September 14 and he will be replaced by his deputy, Dana Perino, a US official said.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto confirmed that Snow would be departing and said President George W. Bush would announce the news on Friday at 1245 EDT (1645 GMT).

Snow, a former Fox News commentator who was hired by the Bush administration last year, announced in March that he had suffered a recurrence of colon cancer.

While undergoing chemotherapy to treat his cancer, Snow had continued in his job. But a few weeks ago he indicated that he would be stepping down for financial reasons sometime before Bush leaves office. He noted that he had taken a pay cut from his private-sector job to work in the White House.

Snow is the latest in a latest in a string of high-level White House officials to depart.

Today was the last day at work for senior White House adviser Karl Rove, who previously announced his intention to resign. White House counselor Dan Bartlett, who like Rove is a longtime Bush adviser from Texas, left earlier this year.

Reuters RS GC2201