The White House is reportedly considering a major shake-up after the midterm elections in November, which are expected to not go well for the Democrats.
The report suggests that Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and National Economic Council Director Brian Deese are among those likely to get the boot in what Axios describes as a “broad reorganization of President Biden’s economic team.”
This appears to be related to a broader shake-up planned by White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, who, it was reported last week, is having former administration officials Jeff Zients and Natalie Quillian compile lists of candidates for Cabinet and senior administrative positions.
Post-midterm shake-ups are hardly new, but when you read between the lines, it becomes clear that this shake-up is a bit different.
According to the story, Treasury spokeswoman Lily Adams says that Yellen has no plans to leave.
“While we are prudently planning for potential transitions post-midterm, neither Secretary Yellen or Brian Deese are part of those plans,” White House senior adviser Anita Dunn said in a statement.
Traditionally, post-midterm and post-term departures are expected, as individuals often serve two to four years before deciding to move on. But those departures are often well-staged. That someone leaked that Yellen might be axed when her department says she’s not going anywhere suggests deeper problems in the White House and that they’re expecting the midterm elections not to go well for them.
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