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Just dropped · Trial Balloon · Ep. 195

Shake Up

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Trial Balloon · Ep. 195: Shake Up

A Chaotic Search for a New Chief of Staff

February 15, 2018 · 10:03 am ET · Leave a Comment

Vanity Fair: “In recent days, Trump has floated names like White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney and longtime friend Tom Barrack, a real estate developer… The situation remains fluid. Last night, for instance, three Republicans told me that Trump had offered the job to Gary Cohn. But in a conversation with Sean Hannity yesterday, Trump said he had not chosen Cohn… Trump has also discussed House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy…. In the past, McCarthy has expressed interest in being chief… But people who have recently spoken to McCarthy say he’s lost interest.”

“Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have aggressively pushed for Cohn, sources said. They’ve also been advocates for David Urban, the lobbyist and political strategist who helped steer Trump’s win in Pennsylvania… Meanwhile, Hannity is part of a faction pushing Wayne Berman, a senior adviser to private-equity giant Blackstone… People close to Steve Bannon have been advocating for House Freedom Caucus Chair Mark Meadows.”

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Taegan Goddard

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Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

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