Jeff Zients to Replace Ron Klain as Biden's Chief of Staff

Jeff Zients, who ran President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 response effort and served in several high-ranking roles in the Obama administration, is expected to replace Ron Klain as the next White House chief of staff, according to multiple reports.

The Details: Zients served as Biden's COVID-19 response coordinator from early 2021 until April 2022. He also served as co-chair on Biden's presidential transition team, and as the acting and deputy director of the Office of the Management and Budget under President Barack Obama. Zients has also worked at Facebook, The Advisory Board Company, and CEB. The reason for Klain's departure is unclear; Biden and others didn't respond to questions about the situation over the weekend. Klain is expected to step down in the coming weeks.

For Context: The move comes after Democrats performed better than expected in the 2022 midterm elections. It also comes amid a controversy involving classified documents being found at Biden's private residence in Delaware.

How the Media Covered It: Klain's departure and Zients' reported promotion are a top story across the political spectrum. Some center- and right-rated sources focused on Zients' personal wealth. Others framed Biden's ongoing classified documents controversy as a potential reason for the shake-up. CNN reported that "Biden decided on Zients after an internal search when it became clear that Klain favored Zients as his successor."