List of short-tenure Donald Trump political appointments

This is a list of notably short political appointments by Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States.

The turnover rate in the Trump administration has been noted by various publications.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Several Trump appointees, including Michael Flynn, Reince Priebus, Anthony Scaramucci, and Tom Price, have among the shortest service tenures in the history of their respective offices.[a]

This list excludes political appointees, White House staff and other officials of the federal government from previous administrations who left or were dismissed from their positions under Trump (such as James Comey or Sally Yates).

List

PortraitNameOfficeTook officeLeft officeTenurePreceded bySucceeded byNotes
Steve BannonSenior Counselor to the PresidentJanuary 20, 2017August 18, 2017210 days (6 months, 29 days)John PodestaKellyanne Conway
Dina Powell
Previously executive chairman of Breitbart News, a position he briefly resumed following his resignation August 18.[9][10][11]
White House Chief Strategistposition establishedvacant
Michael DubkeWhite House Communications DirectorMarch 6, 2017June 2, 201788 days (2 months, 27 days)Sean Spicer (acting)Sean Spicer (acting)Previously a Republican political strategist. Submitted his resignation May 30, 2017.[12][13] His tenure was the fourth-shortest in the office's history, excluding interim appointments.
Brenda FitzgeraldDirector of the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionJuly 7, 2017January 31, 2018208 days (6 months, 24 days)Anne Schuchat (acting)Anne Schuchat (acting)Previously commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health.[14] Resigned due to scrutiny of her financial holdings, which included stock in Japan Tobacco.[15] Her tenure was the shortest in the office's history, excluding interim appointments.[16]
Michael FlynnNational Security AdvisorJanuary 20, 2017February 13, 201724 daysSusan RiceH. R. McMasterPreviously a three-star general and director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Resigned after misleading Vice President Mike Pence about the nature and content of his communications with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.[17][18] Later pled guilty to making false statements to the FBI. His tenure was the shortest in the office's history.[19][20]
Sebastian GorkaDeputy Assistant to the PresidentJanuary 20, 2017August 25, 2017217 days (7 months, 5 days)Previously a military and intelligence analyst. Failed to obtain the security clearance necessary for work on national security issues.[21][22] Resigned August 25, 2017.[22][23]
Derek HarveyMember of the National Security CouncilJanuary 27, 2017July 27, 2017181 days (6 months)Previously a United States Army colonel and a senior member of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Fired July 27, 2017.[24]
K. T. McFarlandDeputy National Security AdvisorJanuary 20, 2017May 19, 2017119 days (3 months, 29 days)Avril HainesRicky L. WaddellPreviously a member of the National Security Council in the 1970s and a Republican Senate candidate. Reported not to be a good fit at the NSC,[25][26] she resigned after less than four months. Trump nominated her to be Ambassador to Singapore, but her nomination stalled and was withdrawn.[27]
Dina PowellDeputy National Security Advisor for StrategyMarch 15, 2017January 12, 2018303 days (9 months, 28 days)Position establishedNadia Schadlow[28]Previously an Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel under George W. Bush.[29] Left the Trump administration in January 2018.[28]
Tom PriceSecretary of Health and Human ServicesFebruary 10, 2017September 29, 2017231 days (7 months, 19 days)Sylvia Mathews BurwellAlex AzarPreviously U.S. Representative for Georgia's 6th congressional district. Resigned following scrutiny of his use of private charters and military aircraft for travel.[30][31][32] His tenure was the shortest in the office's history.[32]
Reince PriebusWhite House Chief of StaffJanuary 20, 2017July 31, 2017192 days (6 months, 11 days)Denis McDonoughJohn F. KellyPreviously chairman of the Republican National Committee. Submitted his resignation July 27, 2017. His tenure was the shortest in the office's history, excluding interim appointments.[33]
Scott PruittAdministrator of the Environmental Protection AgencyFebruary 17, 2017July 6, 2018504 days (1 year, 4 months, 19 days)Gina McCarthyAndrew R. WheelerPreviously Oklahoma Attorney General and a state senator. A self-described "leading advocate against the EPA's activist agenda,"[34] Pruitt rejects the scientific consensus that human-caused carbon dioxide emissions are a primary contributor to climate change.[35] His tenure was marked by controversy and at least a dozen[36] federal inquiries into his spending and management habits. Announced his resignation July 5.[37][38][39] His tenure was the second-shortest in the office's history, excluding interim appointments.[b]
David ShulkinSecretary of Veterans AffairsFebruary 14, 2017March 28, 2018407 days (1 year, 1 month, 14 days)Bob McDonaldRobert Wilkie (acting)Previously a physician and later Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health. Confirmed unanimously, but clashed with staffers and attracted scrutiny of his travel expenses. Fired March 28, 2018.[40] His tenure was the shortest in the office's history, excluding interim appointments.
George SifakisDirector of the Office of Public LiaisonMarch 6, 2017September 25, 2017203 days (6 months, 19 days)Valerie Jarrett[c]Johnny DeStefanoLeft after less than seven months.[41]
Anthony ScaramucciWhite House Communications DirectorJuly 21, 2017July 31, 201710 daysSean SpicerHope HicksPreviously designated director of the White House Office of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs but did not assume office due to pending United States Office of Government Ethics investigation.[42] Fired July 31, 2017.[43][44][45][46] His tenure was the shortest in the office's history, breaking the former record held by Jack Koehler.[47]
Sean SpicerWhite House Press SecretaryJanuary 20, 2017July 21, 2017182 days (6 months, 1 day)Josh EarnestSarah Huckabee SandersPreviously acting White House Communications Director and a Republican Party strategist. Announced his resignation July 21, 2017, although he remained at the White House in an unspecified capacity until August 31.[48][49] His tenure was the sixth-shortest in the office's history.[d][50]
Rex TillersonUnited States Secretary of StateFebruary 1, 2017March 13, 2018[e]405 days (1 year, 1 month, 12 days)John KerryJohn Sullivan (acting)Previously CEO of ExxonMobil. Fired March 13, 2018.[53] His tenure was the fifteenth-shortest in the office's 228-year history, and the third-shortest since World War II.[f] Tillerson is the only Secretary of State since at least 1945 to have been fired.[54]
Katie WalshWhite House Deputy Chief of Staff for ImplementationJanuary 20, 2017March 30, 201769 days (2 months, 10 days)Kristie CanegallovacantPreviously a deputy finance director in several Republican Party organizations.[55] Resigned after less than three months.[56]

See also

Notes

References