Trump taps Mulvaney as acting chief of staff

Washington: Donald Trump announced on Friday that his budget director Mick Mulvaney will step in as acting chief of staff to replace John Kelly — amid indications the president is struggling to fill the key post. Trump, whose presidency is increasingly embroiled in legal troubles, announced earlier this month that Kelly, a former Marine Corps general, was leaving. Kelly, who reportedly fell out with other close Trump aides, is only the latest in a long string of high-ranking officials to quit the embattled White House. “Mick has done an outstanding job while in the Administration,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “I look forward to working with him in this new capacity as we continue to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! “John will be staying until the end of the year. He is a GREAT PATRIOT and I want to personally thank him for his service!” Kelly agreed to stay on until at least January 2 to avoid leaving the president in the lurch. A senior administration official said “there’s no time limit” to Mulvaney’s stint. “He got picked because the president liked him they get along,” the official added, citing Mulvaney’s experience as a former US representative for South Carolina. — AFP