Some of President Obama’s prominent White House staffers may be looking to leave by the end of the year.
White House chief of staff Denis McDonough has been asking senior aides if they are going to remain with the Obama administration for the final two years, while eyeing a possible restructure after the midterms, according to Politico.
The process of figuring out who is staying and who is going began a few weeks ago, beginning with some of Obama’s longest serving aides. Those staffers include senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer, deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes and communications director Jennifer Palmieri.
White Houses traditionally experience significant staff departures after the midterm elections of a president’s second term — but the moves would have a strong impact on Obama, who leans heavily on his inner White House circle.
Though aides whose names drew the most speculation wouldn’t comment, many people inside and close to the White House noted them as most likely to leave. If the midterm elections are in the Democrats’ favor, however, there is a possibility of a lesser exodus.
“Spending in some cases six years working in the White House can be grueling, but losing these folks would be a big blow,” said a Democrat familiar with White House thinking.
