Ranking Trump Admin Member To Resign After Dodging WH Transfer

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The turnover rate of the White House no longer rivals the turnover rate of popular fast food restaurants, it may be quickly surpassing them. On Wednesday, news of another planned departure, this one a cabinet member and former presidential candidate, was reported.

Sources close to former Texas governor and current Energy Secretary under Donald Trump, Rick Perry, is preparing staff for his departure. While Perry still claims to be undecided, he’s already begun preparing his deputy secretary to take over.

Bloomberg reports:

‘While Perry’s exit isn’t imminent and one person familiar with the matter said the former Texas governor still hasn’t fully made up his mind, three people said he has been seriously considering his departure for weeks. All of the people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations.’

As a 2012 presidential primary contender, Perry once famously announced during a debate that, as president, he would eliminate three government departments: the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, and he couldn’t remember the third. During his confirmation hearings for his current position, which he somehow got through without being routinely laughed at, he admitted that he had no idea at the time what the U.S. Department of Energy did.

Even so, Trump reportedly considered asking him to step into the position of Homeland Security secretary after the resignation of Kirstjen Nielson. Perry, blessedly for all of us, turned down the offer.

‘Perry, an Air Force veteran who was previously Texas’s longest-serving governor, has enjoyed a good rapport with President Donald Trump. Trump personally asked Perry if he’d take over as Homeland Security secretary before the president asked Kirstjen Nielsen to resign earlier this month, two of the people said. Perry declined, they said.’

Although having an energy secretary who was only recently made aware of what the department does is frightening, the idea of Trump choosing a replacement considering the first one he chose is even more frightening. Perry, apparently, is hoping his deputy secretary will survive. After all, when Nielson was ousted, her deputy secretary legally was entitled to the position. She was fired, too.

‘Perry has been preparing the agency’s deputy secretary, Dan Brouillette, for the transition, two people said. It’s unclear if Trump would name Brouillette as secretary.’

 

Featured image via Flickr by Gage Skidmore under a Creative Commons license