For President Trump, 2019 will bring a new cast of officials moving into top positions in his Cabinet following a string of departures after the midterm elections.
The president has seen record turnover in the first two years of his administration, surpassing his two most recent predecessors for officials leaving the Cabinet, according to a study from the Brookings Institution tracking the departures from the Trump administration.
During the president’s second year in office, there have been nine exits from within his Cabinet, according to the Brookings study, a figure that does not include Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis’ forthcoming resignation announced Thursday.
Former President George W. Bush saw one person leave his Cabinet during the second year of his administration, while President Barack Obama had four departures.
Neither Bush nor Obama had any members of their Cabinets leave during their first years in office, while Trump had three.
Several top officials serving under Trump left after they faced ethics inquiries, including Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who will depart at the end of the year.
Others, however, were forced out after relations with the president frayed.
Trump announced this month that White House chief of staff John Kelly, whose departure was long rumored, would be leaving his post at the end of the year.
Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney will serve as Trump’s acting chief of staff, though it’s unclear how long he will remain in that role.
Changes to the lineup of top administration officials were expected after the November midterm elections, particular as Trump positions himself to run for re-election in 2020. And during a roundtable event in late November, Trump hinted a shake-up of the Cabinet would be coming.
“I have a fantastic Cabinet,” Trump said at the time. “We have incredible people. You know it’s a lot of people. There are a few positions that I’m thinking about, but I could leave it the way things are now and be very happy with it, or make changes and maybe be even happier with those positions.”
