Nov 26, 2019 - Politics & Policy
White House chief of operations leaving Trump administration
Rebecca Falconer
President Trump speaks at the "Salute to America" ceremony in front of the Lincoln Memorial on July 4. Photo: Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
White House chief operations officer Daniel Walsh is leaving the Trump administration, the Washington Post first reported Monday.
Why it matters: Walsh, whose official title is deputy chief of staff, was one of the few White House officials who'd worked in the administration since President Trump's inauguration, per WashPost.
The big picture: Walsh worked for the federal government for 28 years, the Washington Examiner notes. His main responsibilities in the administration were overseeing the planning of overseas trips and the White House military office and deciding on White House aides' use of government resources.
He's been involved in the vast majority of Trump rallies.
Key projects in which he played a crucial role included his planning of the July 4 "Salute to America" celebration in Washington, D.C. — which was criticized by some for its cost to taxpayers but hailed by the president's supporters as a success — and the thwarted plans to hold next year's G7 summit at the Trump National Doral Miami.
What they're saying: "Dan Walsh is a fantastic member of the team, and has served the White House and my Administration with the utmost professionalism and honor," Trump said in a statement to WashPost. "He has accepted a great job in the private sector, as almost all of my people who develop experience in the White House have done."
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Walsh "possesses a rare combination of talent, integrity and humor in equal measure."
What's next: White House officials told WashPost they had found a likely internal replacement for Walsh. They did not identify the candidate but said they would make an announcement "in the coming days."
Go deeper: Every high-profile Trump administration departure