Mulvaney May Soon Be Permanent Chief Of Staff Because He’s ‘Stayed Out’ Of The Way

on January 3, 2019 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 03: White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney attends the first session of the 116th Congress at the U.S. Capitol January 3, 2019 in Washington, DC. Under the cloud of a partial federal govern... WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 03: White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney attends the first session of the 116th Congress at the U.S. Capitol January 3, 2019 in Washington, DC. Under the cloud of a partial federal government shutdown, Newly elected Hoiuse Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will reclaim her former title as Speaker of the House and her fellow Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives for the second time in eight years. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney may soon become the permanent head of White House staff simply for remaining aloof in the West Wing, Politico reported.

According to four current and former senior administration officials who spoke to Politico, Mulvaney has figured out how to maintain strong relationships with President Trump — they speak several times a day — and senior advisers Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, while also hiring at least eight “loyal aides,” in the White House, in Politico’s words. But his main strength: “staying out of people’s way.”

“He has stayed out of a lot of people’s way,” one senior administration official told Politico. “No one is saying he is killing it but staying out of people’s way has helped.”

Keeping Mulvaney permanently is also the least embarrassing option, Republicans close to the White House told Politico. Trump doesn’t want to get turned down again, after Nick Ayers, Vice President Mike Pence’s former chief of staff, and ex-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie deflected his advances in December.

Read the full Politico report here. 

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Notable Replies

  1. Keeping Mulvaney permanently is also the least embarrassing option.

    For now, sure.

  2. Mulvaney may soon be permanent chief staff because he’s stayed ̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶y̶

    Slight correction.

  3. “Trump doesn’t want to get turned down again, after Nick Ayers, Vice President Mike Pence’s former chief of staff, and ex-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie deflected his advances in December.”

    Deflected his advances? What?

    I thought when you were famous they just let you do it. Maybe he forgot the breath spray.

  4. I’m pretty sure that just staying out of peoples’ way is literally the exact opposite of what defines the role of a chief of staff, the core one-line statement of purpose, but you do you, Donald. Not like rando assistant acting undersecretary of poopsmithing is going to interrupt you from anything other than Executive Time.

  5. Man of the moment. As we all know eventually they’re not on anyone’s good side, unable to keep hiding in closets.

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