White House chief of staff Ron Klain will be leaving his position in the Biden administration in the coming days, according to multiple reports on Saturday. He is expected to step down soon after the State of the Union address before Congress on February 7.
A New York Times report said Klain “has been telling colleagues privately since the November midterm elections that after a grueling, nonstop stretch at Mr. Biden’s side going back to the 2020 campaign, he is ready to move on, according to senior administration officials, and a search for a replacement has been underway.”
Other outlets, including Politico and the Washington Post, confirmed the NYT reporting. Klain has been in the top White House aide position since Biden assumed office in January 2021.
An anonymous source told the Post that Klain would assist with the selection of his successor and the transition of the office to the next chief of staff.
Commentators have said that Klain was instrumental in negotiating legislative deals with Congressional leadership, including agreements that led to the passage of massive spending infrastructure and so-called “inflation reduction” bills. He also helped push through a law promoting domestic semiconductor manufacturing and led the effort to confirm Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Klain’s campaigning effort for the midterm elections was a mixed bag, as Republicans won back the House – although with a smaller-than-expected majority – and Democrats picked up a seat on its majority in the Senate.
‘Biden’s Brain’ is a Complete Dolt and Liar – Here Is the Best of Chief of Staff Ron Klain Who Is Stepping Down in the Coming Weeks https://t.co/5kjrTfFNvF
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) January 22, 2023
Klain has also shared in Biden’s struggles, including attempts to handle messaging on the worst inflation to hit the U.S. economy in four decades and the ongoing disaster at the wide-open southern border.
He has also struggled to manage the emerging scandal surrounding Biden’s apparent mishandling of classified documents in multiple locations over several years pre-dating his presidency. While Biden is expected to announce he will seek reelection in 2024, the documents issue could derail his hopes for a second term.
Biden’s pick for a new chief of staff and top advisor should provide insights into his expectations about his future in the Oval Office. The early reports that surfaced Saturday said that some possible candidates to replace Klain include Biden’s COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients, senior advisor Anita Dunn, and Biden’s vice presidential chief of staff Steve Ricchetti.
Some observers speculate that Klain may be stepping down from his government position to manage Biden’s 2024 campaign.
