President Joe Biden has selected Jeff Zients as his next White House Chief of staff.
Zients succeeds Ron Klain, a longtime personality in Biden’s political circle who led the White House through its highs and lows.
The transition is the first major personnel change for an administration that has had minimal turnover at its highest ranks and throughout the Cabinet.
“I’m confident that Jeff will continue Ron’s example of smart, steady leadership, as we continue to work hard every day for the people we were sent here to serve.”
President Joe Biden
Zients, aged 56, will be tasked with steering White House operations at Biden’s pivotal two-year mark, when the Democratic administration shifts from ambitious legislating to implementing those policies and fending off Republican efforts to taint the achievements.
Zients is also charged with steering the White House at a time when it is struggling to contain the fallout from discoveries of classified documents at Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware, and at his former institute in Washington, which has triggered a special counsel investigation.
In his resignation letter to Biden, Klain, the former White House Chief of staff, said it was the “right time” for a transition.
“The halfway point of your first term; with two successful years behind us, and key decisions on the next two years ahead, is the right time for this team to have fresh leadership. I have served longer than eight of the last nine Chiefs of Staff, and have given this job my all; now it is time for someone else to take it on.”
Ron Klain
Zients, not known to be a political operative, is expected to focus on the task of governing as a separate circle of advisers take the lead on politics, such as Senior Adviser Anita Dunn and Jen O’Malley Dillon, a Deputy Chief of staff who managed Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign.
Presidential Counselor Steve Ricchetti, Senior Adviser Mike Donilon and Deputy Chief of staff Bruce Reed will continue in Biden’s inner circle, while Klain, a longtime Democratic operative, will continue to advise and be involved from the outside.
Through both the Obama and Biden administrations, Zients has been the go-to person for significant operational challenges.
Zients was Vice Chairman of Biden’s transition after he won in November 2020 and served as Director of the National Economic Council during the Obama administration and Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
As COVID-19 Coordinator, Zients led the effort that administered more than 220 million vaccinations in Biden’s first 100 days, while shoring up the nation’s supply of therapeutics and tests and distributing them.
Biden’s First Two Years Would Not Have Been As Successful Without Ron Klain By His Side
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., opined that Biden’s first two years “would not have been nearly as successful without Ron Klain by the President’s side.”
Schumer noted that he spoke with the outgoing Chief of staff multiple times every day, knowing that his counsel and questions would be directly communicated to Biden. Also, Schumer lauded Zients’ selection.
“I’ve known Jeff for many years and cannot think of a better person to help smoothly implement the transformational legislation Congress passed,” Schumer said.
“Jeff is the epitome of what an outstanding chief of staff should be. He’s organized, focused and deliberate, exactly the right person to lead the Biden administration and ensure the American people see and feel the benefits of these new laws.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
Although Zients left the administration in April 2022, he quietly returned in recent months to ensure the remaining two years of Biden’s term would be adequately staffed, a prelude to his taking on the much broader managerial role.
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