President Donald Trump announced on Friday evening that Mick Mulvaney will assume the role of “acting” White House chief of staff.
The president made the announcement via Twitter, saying, “I am pleased to announce that Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, will be named acting White House chief of staff.”
I am pleased to announce that Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management & Budget, will be named Acting White House Chief of Staff, replacing General John Kelly, who has served our Country with distinction. Mick has done an outstanding job while in the Administration….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2018
The president then called Mulvaney a “great patriot” that he looks “forward to working with”:
….I look forward to working with him in this new capacity as we continue to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! 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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2018
Mulvaney, the current Director of the Office of Management and Budget, will assume his new role in 2019. It remains unclear as to who will hold this position-long term. (Related: HERE’S WHO’S IN THE MIX TO REPLACE JOHN KELLY)
He will be replacing John Kelly, who has been in the position since July 2017.
Mulvaney tweeted his gratitude for the position after the announcement was made Friday evening, saying, “This is a tremendous honor. I look forward to working with the President and the entire team. It’s going to be a great 2019!”
This is a tremendous honor. I look forward to working with the President and the entire team. It’s going to be a great 2019! https://t.co/X4gauBOg1d
— Mick Mulvaney (@MickMulvaneyOMB) December 14, 2018
OMB Director Mick Mulvaney speaks about government reform proposal during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, in Washington, DC, on June 21, 2018. (OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP/Getty Images)
Trump has reportedly considered many candidates to replace Kelly including House Freedom Caucus (HFC) Chairman Mark Meadows, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and longtime GOP financier Wayne Berman.
While serving as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Mulvaney was also the Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau until Kathleen Laura Kraninger was confirmed by the Senate to replace him.
Mulvaney was also first elected to represent South Carolina’s 5th district in Congress back in 2010. He was the founding member of the House Freedom Caucus.
