WH Taps College Senior To Head Up Its Personnel Office

A college senior is reportedly heading to the White House to be a top official in its Presidential Personnel Office.

Three administration officials confirmed James Bacon’s hiring to Politico Wednesday. The 23-year-old senior at George Washington University is set to act as a right-hand man to newly appointed PPO director John McEntee, the officials told Politico.

Bacon will reportedly take on the role of PPO’s director of operations who oversees paperwork and provides assistance on vetting. Politico noted that Katja Bullock, who served in the office during both Bush administrations and is in her late 70s, held the position.

An official told Politico that Bacon worked under McEntee — who was preceded by soon-to-be State Department official Sean Doocey — on the Trump campaign’s earliest days as well as its advance team. Bacon was also behind the operations on the Trump transition. The official added that Bacon would have graduated on time if he had not worked on Trump’s campaign.

According to two officials who spoke with Politico, Bacon most recently worked at the Department of Transportation’s policy shop briefly. While simultaneously taking classes for his bachelor’s degree, Bacon also served as a White House liaison at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Two other officials said that Bacon was known at HUD as Sec. Ben Carson’s confidential assistant, according to Politico.

Bacon’s reported hiring comes on the heels of Axios’ report Friday detailing how McEntee held a meeting with White House liaisons from cabinet agencies and asked them to identify political appointees believed to be anti-Trump.

The White House declined to comment on Bacon’s hiring when asked by TPM Wednesday.

Read Politico’s report here.