Trump names budget office head Mick Mulvaney as acting White House chief of staff
- President’s announcement came after widespread speculation and a selection process some compared with a reality TV contest
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Eliana Johnson on politico.com on December 14, 2018.
President Donald Trump announced on Twitter late Friday that Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, will become acting White House chief of staff.
Mulvaney will replace chief of staff John Kelly, who is leaving the White House at the end of the year. The president did not elaborate on how long Mulvaney would serve in the role.
“I look forward to working with [Mulvaney] in this new capacity as we continue to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” the president wrote in a tweet. “John will be staying until the end of the year. He is a GREAT PATRIOT and I want to personally thank him for his service!”
The president’s announcement was initially seen as a stopgap solution to the sweepstakes reality show that was underway for the position.