Trump appoints acting White House chief of staff
US President Donald Trump has appointed Mick Mulvaney as acting White House chief of staff, replacing former Marine Corps Commandant John Kelly, who will leave at the end of the year.
In a post on his personal Twitter on the morning of December 15, US President Donald Trump announced that Mick Mulvaney, who is currently director of the Office of Management and Budget, will become the new acting White House chief of staff.
"Mick has done an outstanding job in the Administration. I look forward to working with him in his new role to make America great again," President Trump wrote.
|
Mr. Mick Mulvaney will take over as White House chief of staff from 2019. Photo: CNBC. |
Mulvaney, 51, will become the third person to serve as White House chief of staff during Trump's presidency. He will take over the position in early 2019.
As for John Kelly, President Trump described the former Marine Corps commander as "a great patriot" who had served the United States with distinction, and thanked Mr. Kelly for his dedication.
News that Mr. John Kelly would soon leave office emerged last week. The White House Chief of Staff is said to have deep conflicts with President Trump. According toReuters, the two did not speak to each other for a while.
Mr. John Kelly took office in July 2017, with the task of stabilizing the situation at the White House. However, the former Marine Corps commander often disagreed with President Trump on working style. In the bookFear: Trump in the White Housereleased in September, author Bob Woodward revealed that Mr. Kelly called President Trump "mentally unstable" and "a moron."
|
Mr. John Kelly (right) is said to have a major conflict with President Trump. Photo: RFI. |
Mr Kelly's impending departure is part of a broader shake-up aimed at reorienting the Trump administration, as the balance of power in Washington shifted when Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in January.
According toGuardianPresident Trump's first choice for the position of White House chief of staff to replace John Kelly was Nick Ayers, the vice president's chief of staff. However, Mr. Ayers declined the job because the two sides could not reach an agreement on the length of time he would work at the White House.
