- President Donald Trump on Friday announced that Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney will become the acting White House chief of staff, replacing outgoing chief of staff John Kelly.
- Trump added that Kelly, a former four-star Marine Corps general, “served our Country with distinction” and that Mulvaney “has done an outstanding job” within his administration.
- A senior White House official told reporters Mulvaney’s interim role would have “no time limit.”
- Mulvaney, a former Republican representative of South Carolina, took on numerous roles in the Trump administration and is widely seen as a fiscal conservative willing to cut federal spending.
President Donald Trump on Friday announced that Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney will become the acting White House chief of staff and replace John Kelly.
Trump added that Kelly, a former four-star Marine Corps general, “served our Country with distinction,” and that Mulvaney “has done an outstanding job” within his administration.
“I look forward to working with him in this new capacity as we continue to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump tweeted on Friday.
A senior White House official told reporters Mulvaney’s interim role would have “no time limit.”
"He's the acting chief of staff, which means he's the chief of staff," the official said. "He got picked because the president liked him they get along."
The official added that Mulvaney's experience in Congress and his "fiscally responsible" views were also an important factor in the decision.
Mulvaney, a former Republican representative of South Carolina, took on numerous roles in the Trump administration and is widely seen as a fiscal conservative willing to cut federal spending.
Trump's decision comes after weeks of speculation of who would replace the outgoing chief of staff, who was long rumored to be departing following reports of a rift with other White House officials. Kelly replaced former chief of staff Reince Priebus in June 2017.
The speculation surrounding Kelly's replacement reached a fever pitch earlier on Friday, when former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey declined the role, citing it was "not the right time for me or my family to undertake this serious assignment."
Christie's decision comes at the heels of another rejection from Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff. Nick Ayers, who was believed to be a top candidate for the position, rejected the offer on Sunday after he reportedly could not commit to a long period of time in the role.
Kelly was previously reported to have butted heads with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump, both of whom are senior advisers in the White House. He has reportedly tried to curb freewheeling access to the Oval Office, including from Ivanka and Kushner.
Kelly, according to the White House official speaking on background, was satisfied with Trump's selection of Mulvaney.
"The current chief is happy," the official said. "The current chief is fine. The current chief will stay till the end of the year."