Orange Meltdown, Con't

Last night, Donald Trump replaced Acting WH Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney with retiring GOP Rep. Mark Meadows.

President Donald Trump announced late Friday that he was replacing his acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, with Republican Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, a shake-up in the top echelons of the West Wing just as the President confronts a growing public health crisis and girds for reelection. 

Meadows, who had previously announced he was leaving Congress, will become Trump's fourth chief of staff in a little more than three years in office. In a tweet, Trump did not denote him "acting," a designation Mulvaney never graduated from in the turbulent 14 months he spent in the job. 

"I am pleased to announce that Congressman Mark Meadows will become White House Chief of Staff. I have long known and worked with Mark, and the relationship is a very good one," Trump tweeted Friday just after arriving at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. 

Trump, who did not immediately offer an explanation for the swap, thanked Mulvaney and said he said would become special envoy for Northern Ireland. 

"I want to thank Acting Chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well. He will become the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland," Trump added. "Thank you!" 

It was an abrupt announcement of news that had been anticipated for weeks. It continues a churn of staffing changes that followed Trump's impeachment acquittal a month ago. 

Trump offered the position to Meadows on Thursday, people familiar with the matter said. Mulvaney was on a personal trip and not at work Friday, two officials said. Some staffers found it odd that the acting chief of staff would leave Washington during such a critical time while the administration is dealing with the coronavirus crisis. 

But Mulvaney also did not attend several of Trump's recent trips -- including a campaign swing in the Western United States and his state visit to India -- which is a pattern his predecessors also followed before they were dismissed. 

Though Mulvaney had been a fixture of Trump's administration in various roles over the past three years, the President effectively lost confidence in him months ago, a combination of personality conflicts and frustration at his handling of the impeachment ordeal. 

Trump, who had considered dismissing Mulvaney at various junctures, was convinced not to act by close aides, who argued that a leadership change in the White House during impeachment could cause unnecessary chaos.

Booting Mulvaney out to be envoy to Northern Ireland isn't firing him, but it's close.  Firing him of course would mean he's no longer protected by executive privilege should Dems get the wild idea to subpoena Mulvaney again.

I figured Mulvaney would be the scapegoat for COVID-19, but apparently Trump has Alex Azar in mind still for that one, so we'll see what happens with Mark Meadows, the fourth WH Chief of Staff in three years.