A REVOLVING DOOR
By Charles Apple
The Spokesman-Review
Not only does President Donald Trump face dire reports of his financial status, stiff opposition from Democrats and ever-growing COVID-19 numbers, he has also dealt with turnover within his administration – the most turnover in the past 40 years, in fact.
Here’s a look at the numbers, as compiled by the Brookings Institution:
Turnover in Trump’s cabinet
Trump saw five Cabinet-level appointees depart during his second year in office – the most since Year 3 of George H.W. Bush’s administration. This chart shows only the first four-year term of the four presidents who served two terms:
Departures
John F. Kelly
HOMELAND SECURITY
Departed: July 28, 2017
Promoted to White House Chief of Staff
Tom Price
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Departed: Sept. 29, 2017
Resigned under pressure
Rex Tillerson
SECRETARY OF STATE
Departed: March 13, 2018
Resigned under pressure
David Shulkin
VETERANS AFFAIRS
Departed: March 28, 2018
Resigned under pressure
Jeff Sessions
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Departed: Nov. 7, 2018
Resigned under pressure
Jim Mattis
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Departed: Dec. 20, 2018
Protest resignation
Ryan Zinke
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Departed: Dec. 15, 2018
Resigned under pressure
Kirstjen Nielsen
HOMELAND SECURITY
Departed: April 7, 2019
Resigned under pressure
Alex Acosta
SECRETARY OF LABOR
Departed: July 12, 2019
Resigned under pressure
Rick Perry
SECRETARY OF ENERGY
Departed: Oct. 17, 2019
Resigned
Turnover in senior White House staffers
What’s more, at least 91 percent of Trump’s senior White House administrator positions have turned over at least once since he took office in 2017. Twenty-two of those were due to promotions, but 21 were resignations and 16 were resignations under pressure.
A number of White House leadership positions have turned over several times, researchers at the Brookings Institution say:
Positions have been filled 6 times
◼COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
◼DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
Positions have been filled 5 times
◼DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF
◼NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE AND RUSSIA
Positions have been filled 4 times
◼CHIEF OF STAFF
◼PRESS SECRETARY
◼DIRECTOR OF OVAL OFFICE OPERATIONS
◼DIRECTOR OF PRESIDENTIAL ADVANCE
◼NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
◼PRESIDENTIAL ADVANCE/HOMELAND SECURITY AND COUNTERTERRORISM
◼EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
◼DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL
◼WHITE HOUSE DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Positions have been filled 3 times
◼CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE VICE PRESIDENT
◼DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
◼PRINCIPAL DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY
◼DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC LIAISON
◼DIRECTOR OF PRESIDENTIAL PERSONNEL
◼DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL
◼NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SENIOR DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE
◼NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA
◼DOMESTIC POLICY COUNCIL DIRECTOR CHAIR, WHITE HOUSE
◼COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS