According to an intelligence source and a person familiar with the decision, President Joe Biden will appoint Jeff Zients to replace Ron Klain, who is scheduled to depart in the upcoming weeks, as his new chief of staff.
Zients, who previously oversaw the Covid-19 response for the Biden administration, took a temporary leave of absence in April of last year but returned in the autumn, just before the midterm elections.
After the president’s State of the Union address early next month, Klain, who has held the top position for more than two years, is anticipated to leave the Biden administration, according to two persons familiar with the plan.
The choice of Zients comes at a time when Biden is facing criticism for how he handled secret materials that were discovered at his Delaware home and a Washington, D.C., office he frequented. After the State of the Union address on February 7, the president is also anticipated to declare his bid for reelection in 2024.
Nevertheless, according to people familiar with the situation, Klain is anticipated to be given the responsibility of managing all 2024-related issues from outside the White House, whereas Zients, a management consultant, will assume all chief of staff responsibilities at a crucial time for the president.
Anita Dunn, a senior adviser, was a strong candidate for the job, according to a person with knowledge of the selection procedure. Now that Dunn has more time, he can concentrate on the political requirements of Biden’s probable re-election campaign.
Prior to this, Zients spent over four years as the National Economic Council’s director, the Office of Management and Budget’s acting director, and deputy director under the Obama administration. He served as the chairman of the Management Advisory Board for former President Barack Obama.
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