Trump names Mulvaney acting White House chief-of-staff

Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, will become the acting White House chief of staff at the end of the year. So tweeted President Trump.

I have previously called White House chief-of-staff under Trump the worst job in official Washington, D.C. But now I’m not sure which is worse, chief or acting chief.

Mulvaney is a good pick. As I noted here, he’s been an important member of the administration. Thus, he knows his way around, and there should be only a small learning curve.

Mulvaney has also demonstrated the administrative skills associated with the chief-of-staff position. And, perhaps most importantly, he’s a strong conservative.

According to reports, Mulvaney was named acting chief, rather than chief, because Trump wants, in effect, to audition him. Mulvaney could lose the “acting” part of his title if things go well, according to one senior administration official. No timetable has been established for the audition period, say White House sources.

One can envisage Mulvaney being “acting” chief longer than some important Trump administration personnel were able to remain in positions they held on a non-acting basis. In a sense, everyone who works for Trump, family members excepted, is auditioning.

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