White House Chief Of Staff Ron Klein To Step Down

 

DNYUZ/New York Times: Ron Klain Expected to Step Down as Biden’s White House Chief of Staff 

WASHINGTON — Ron Klain, the White House chief of staff who has steered President Biden’s administration through two years of triumphs and setbacks, is expected to step down in coming weeks in the most significant changing of the guard since Mr. Biden took office two years ago. 

Mr. Klain has been telling colleagues privately since the November midterm elections that after a grueling, nonstop stretch at Mr. Biden’s side going back to the 2020 campaign, he is ready to move on, according to senior administration officials, and a search for a replacement has been underway. 

The officials, who discussed internal matters on condition of anonymity, would not say whether a successor has already been picked or when the decision would be announced, but indicated that it would come at some point after the president outlined his agenda for the coming year in his State of the Union address on Feb. 7. 

Mr. Klain likely would stay around for a transition period to help the next chief settle into the corner office that has been his command post for many crises and legislative battles.  

Read more ....  

WNU editor: With a Republican controlled Congress, there is going to be little if any legislation being passed in the next two years. It looks like Ron Klein has made the calculation that now is the time to leave the White House, and make some serious money in the private sector. 

Here are the probable replacements .... Ron Klain is heading for the exit. Who’s coming in? (Politico). 

White House Chief Of Staff Ron Klein To Step Down  

Top Biden aide Ron Klain expected to soon leave White House -- AP  

White House chief of staff Klain expected to leave in weeks -sources -- Reuters  

Ron Klain, Biden’s White House chief of staff, is reportedly expected to step down -- CNBC  

Ron Klain is expected to step down as White House chief of staff in the coming weeks -- NBC  

Ron Klain expected to step down as Biden chief of staff: reports -- FOX News  

White House chief of staff Ron Klain to step down -- The Hill  

Joe Biden's chief of staff Ron Klain expected to step down -- BBC

Why Is A Concrete Security Wall Being Put Up In Front Of The White House?

 

The Last Refuge: Biden Administration Erecting Concrete Blast and Security Wall Around White House 

Recently revealed video shows the Joe Biden White House is erecting a concrete (K-Rail) blast and security containment wall directly around the White House. There doesn’t appear to be any explanation readily available. 

These types of security barriers are sometimes erected when heads of state are planning to come to the White House. However, there doesn’t appear to be any information about an anticipated delegation or foreign dignitary. Additionally, according to one researcher on social media {LINK}, all of the publicly available CCTV video-streams have been disabled as this work is taking place.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Hmmm ..... even the White House video feeds have been cut. 

The person below believes that these barriers are being built to cover some construction work around the fountain that the Secret Service does not want anyone to see.

The White House this morning

Richard Citizen Journalist pic.twitter.com/WLe96PZDVN

— IamRedUSA (@lamRedUSA) January 11, 2022

Is President Biden And Vice President Harris On Talking Terms?

🚨 AWKWARD, SHADE WAR:
Joe Biden Refuses to acknowledge Kamala as he walks right past her in US Capitol. Then Joe asks Jill to SWITCH SEATS so he won’t be close to VP. Neither make eye contact as Joe looks AT THE CEILING and Kamala looks at the floor.

CRINGE. See for yourself: pic.twitter.com/urCVJOq8Qa

— Benny (@bennyjohnson) December 9, 2021

WNU Editor: The body language experts are having a field day on this video.

Growing Split Between The White House And Vice President Kamala Harris

 

 CNN: Exasperation and dysfunction: Inside Kamala Harris' frustrating start as vice president 

(CNN)Worn out by what they see as entrenched dysfunction and lack of focus, key West Wing aides have largely thrown up their hands at Vice President Kamala Harris and her staff -- deciding there simply isn't time to deal with them right now, especially at a moment when President Joe Biden faces quickly multiplying legislative and political concerns. 

The exasperation runs both ways. Interviews with nearly three dozen former and current Harris aides, administration officials, Democratic operatives, donors and outside advisers -- who spoke extensively to CNN -- reveal a complex reality inside the White House. Many in the vice president's circle fume that she's not being adequately prepared or positioned, and instead is being sidelined. The vice president herself has told several confidants she feels constrained in what she's able to do politically. And those around her remain wary of even hinting at future political ambitions, with Biden's team highly attuned to signs of disloyalty, particularly from the vice president.  

Read more .... 

Update: Kamala's war with Joe: VP is angry with Biden for defending 'white man' Pete Buttigieg while giving her 'no-win' migration brief - White House dislikes her 'awkward' laugh when asked about border and reliance on family advice, CNN reveals (Daily Mail)  

WNU Editor: CNN is all over this story. 

The White House is in damage control (see below):

For anyone who needs to hear it. @VP is not only a vital partner to @POTUS but a bold leader who has taken on key, important challenges facing the country—from voting rights to addressing root causes of migration to expanding broadband.

— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) November 15, 2021

Did U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan Commit Perjury?

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan  

Paul Sperry, RealClearInvestigations: Biden Security Adviser Jake Sullivan Tied to Alleged 2016 Clinton Scheme to Co-Opt the CIA and FBI to Tar Trump 

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan figures prominently in a grand jury investigation run by Special Counsel John Durham into an alleged 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign scheme to use both the FBI and CIA to tar Donald Trump as a colluder with Russia, according to people familiar with the criminal probe, which they say has broadened into a conspiracy case. 

Sullivan is facing scrutiny, sources say, over potentially false statements he made about his involvement in the effort, which continued after the election and into 2017. 

As a senior foreign policy adviser to Clinton, Sullivan spearheaded what was known inside her campaign as a “confidential project” to link Trump to the Kremlin through dubious email-server records provided to the agencies, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.  

Read more ....  

Update: Did Jake Sullivan commit perjury? E-mails reveal ‘lie’ on Trump (NYPost)  

WNU editor: No one wants a Special Prosecutor and a grand jury investigating your past. 

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is that person who is being investigated, and is a distraction that I am sure he is not happy about. 

Bottom line. If he did commit perjury, his time at the White House will be limited.  

Update #2: Russiagate media critics react to Sussmann indictment: 'Regurgitation' of collusion claims discredits industry (FOX News)

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan Will Travel To Saudi Arabia To Smooth Over Relations

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. AP 

 Daily Mail: National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to Saudi Arabia to smooth over relations - after Biden permitted 9/11 document release and CIA said Crown Prince was responsible for approving Jamal Khashoggi's murder 

* National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to the Middle East next week in an effort to smooth over relations with Saudi Arabia 

* Axios reported Wednesday that Sullivan is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt 

* President Donald Trump bestowed the Saudis with the distinction of the first county he visited as president 

* President Joe Biden, on the other hand, released a report that held Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi 

* Biden also stopped an arms deal with the Saudis over human rights violations in Yemen 

* More recently, Biden green-lit the release of documents pertaining to the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks 

* Victims' family members hope the documents will help with their ongoing lawsuit against Saudi Arabia - the country where 15 of the 19 hijackers were from 

President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to the Middle East next week in an effort to smooth over relations with Saudi Arabia. 

Axios reported Wednesday that Sullivan is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, according to unnamed sources that were briefed of the plans.  

Read more ....  

Update: Scoop: Jake Sullivan plans to visit Saudi Arabia, Egypt and UAE next week (Axios)  

WNU Editor: It is going to be a difficult meeting with the Saudi leadership. After-all. US Presidential candidate Biden did call Saudi Arabia a pariah nation .... Candidate Biden Called Saudi Arabia a ‘Pariah.’ He Now Has to Deal With It. (New York Times).

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki Holds A Briefing With Reporters — September 1, 2021

White House Holds Press Briefing -- August 30, 2021

White House Briefing -- August 27, 2021

LIVE: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki Holds Press Briefing

 

WNU Editor: This White House briefing has been delayed. Not surprising in view of what has happened at Kabul airport today.

Live: White House Holds Press Briefing

White House Holds Daily Press Briefing

Is White House Chief Of Staff Ron Klain The 'Real Power' Behind The U.S. Presidency?

The Hill: GOP says Ron Klain pulling Biden strings 

Republicans are attacking White House chief of staff Ron Klain as “the guy behind the curtain” and “Prime Minister Klain” as they try to push back on someone they see as formidable opponent in the battle over President Biden’s agenda. 

The GOP blames Klain for Biden’s refusal to negotiate the price down on his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, an approach they say conflicts with Biden’s campaign pledges. 

“We’ve gotten the impression from our members that have been in meetings down there that he’s kind of the guy behind the curtain,” said Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.). 

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: The White House narrative is that this is the Biden-Harris administration, and that both are involved in making major decisions .... Kamala Harris has a big role in Biden's administration — and a new report may explain why (Raw Story). But the reality is different, especially when it was learned that Vice-President Harris was left out of the White House decision to bomb an Iranian-backed militia camp in Syria. 

So who are the major players in the Biden administration, and is White House Chief Of Staff Ron Klain the second most important person after the President?

In my opinion the answer is yes. 

First things first ... Ron Klain is the White House Chief of Staff, and the gate-keeper to the President. 

Besides being the White House Chief of staff, he also holds the title of personal assistant to the President. That in itself is an incredibly important title and position. 

He is also someone that the President deeply trusts. After-all, they have been working together for almost 30 years. 

Besides his title and position in the White House, I have also noticed that in every major public meeting and announcement involving President Biden, Ron Klain has always been present. I have also noticed that President Biden is always looking at his wife Jill Biden, or at his White House Chief of Staff. My gut tells me that these are the people that he takes his direction from.

Bottom line. If I was a lobbyist or someone who wants something from the White House. I would not bother with the President or Vice-President. I would want a meeting with Ron Klain or with one of his assistants. 

I am also following him on twitter. Like President Trump when he was in office, Ron Klain's page on Twitter (link here) is the place to go if you want a heads-up on what to expect next from the White House.

Update: CNN agrees with my analysis .... Ron Klain emerges as a force behind the scenes -- and on Twitter (CNN).

White House Refuses To Release Its ‘Virtual Visit’ Logs

President Biden and Vice President Harris host a meeting with a bipartisan group of House and Senate members at the White House in Washington, D.C., February 24, 2021. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) 

Politico: Biden won’t release White House virtual visitor logs 

Government watchdogs are urging Biden to do more to keep the American public informed, including releasing virtual visitor logs. 

Few bars have been set lower than the one Joe Biden has had to clear when it comes to bringing transparency back to the White House. Donald Trump has been an easy act to follow. 

But five weeks into office, Biden has fallen short of his former boss, Barack Obama, in several areas, and is under pressure to do more to restore confidence in the federal government following Trump’s chaotic term in the White House. 

Among the critiques: The schedules for the president and vice president aren’t posted online. The White House comment line is shut down. There are no citizen petitions on the White House’s website. 

The White House has committed to releasing visitor logs. But it doesn’t plan to divulge the names of attendees of virtual meetings, which are the primary mode of interaction until the coronavirus pandemic eases. 

And while Biden has received kudos for keeping the American public informed, primarily by resuming the daily White House press briefings, he has yet to hold a news conference of his own. 

Read more .... 

WNU editor: So much for all of this talk on "transparency". 

 More News On The White House Refusing To Release Its ‘Virtual Visit’ Logs 

Biden White House not releasing virtual visitor logs as watchdogs call for transparency -- FOX News 

Biden White House has yet to release visitor logs -- NYPost 

White House Declines to Release Virtual Visitor Logs -- National Review 

White House refuses to release ‘virtual visit’ logs, claims they are like phone records, as watchdogs urge transparency from Biden -- RT

President Biden's Real Inner Circle: West Wing Office Plan Shows Who Wields Power In His Administration

Daily Mail: Joe Biden's real inner circle: West Wing office plan shows who wields power in his administration and how his adviser sister Valerie doesn't make the cut 

 * President Joe Biden has installed his longtime aides and campaign staff in power positions in the West Wing 

 * Notably missing is his sister Valerie Biden Owens, a longtime adviser 

 * She has no West Wing office 

 * Vice President Kamala Harris and Chief of Staff Ron Klain have large office suites 

 * West Wing office space is some of the most valuable real estate in the world 

 * Biden places emphasis on organization instead of chaos 

 * But many Biden staff are working from home because of COVID restrictions

Joe Biden has installed his longtime aides and campaign staff in power positions in the West Wing, keeping his allies close to him as he begins his presidency. 

Notably missing is his sister Valerie Biden Owens, a longtime adviser to Biden who was campaign manager for his Senate races along with his 1988 and 2008 presidential bids. She was a senior adviser to his 2020 campaign. 

But maps of the West Wing from Politico and CNN show no office location for the presidential sister. Biden's predecessor, President Donald Trump, installed his daughter and son-in-law in posh West Wing offices. 

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: I would like to know how many hours in the day will President Biden be in his office. Something tells me that he will be staying most of the time in the White House, and will only show up at the Oval Office for important meetings with visitors and special occasions. If that does become the case, then the most important office after the Oval Office will be Chief of Staff Ron Klain's office. After him, it will be Vice-President Kamala Harris' office.

White House Quickly Building A ‘Non-Scalable' Fence Ahead Of The Election

New White House Fence (Photo: Creative commons by Joe Flood/Flickr) 

NBC Washington: White House Building ‘Non-Scalable' Fence, Increasing Security Ahead of Election

Some 250 National Guardsmen are on standby, according to the source Officials will add a "non-scalable" fence around the White House on Monday in an effort to increase security ahead of Election Day, a federal law enforcement source tells NBC News. 

The perimeter, which will stretch from H to Constitution and 15th to 17th streets, will be reminiscent of the fence set up amid protests in the nation's capitol following the death of George Floyd at the end of May. 

The source says that for the time being, 250 National Guardsmen have been put on standby and will be reporting to officials with the Metropolitan Police Department. 

Read more .... 

 More News On The White House Quickly Building A ‘Non-Scalable' Fence Ahead Of The Election

Fortress White House: Crews will begin building 'non-scalable fence' around the complex tomorrow as Secret Service prepares for potential unrest -- Daily Mail 

Federal authorities expected to erect 'non-scalable' fence around White House -- CNN 

'Non-scalable' fence to go up around White House before election: report -- The Hill 

White House constructing fence to protect from election protests -- NYPost 

NBC says the White House will have a 'non-scalable' wall built around it for election day -- FOREX Live 

The White House is about to be officially on lockdown with new ‘non-scalable’ fence: report -- Raw Story

Fort White House? ‘Non-scalable’ fence to be installed around president’s residence ahead of election – reports -- RT

Cleaning Staff In Hazmat Suits Sanitize The West Wing

The briefing room's deep clean came after President Trump was discharged from Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and returned to the White House on Monday evening 

Daily Mail: Cleaning staff in hazmat suits sanitize the West Wing as Trump returns to White House 

 * Donald Trump arrived back at the White House on Monday night, taking off his face mask to enter the building 

 * The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room was sanitized by a White House employee in a hazmat suit   * A number of White House reporters and staffers have tested positive for COVID-19 after Trump's initial diagnosis 

 * With Marine One as a backdrop, he filmed a campaign ad that was released on Twitter: 'Maybe I am immune?' 

 * The president claimed he had fallen ill because he had been 'out front' and said: 'Don't let it dominate you' 

 * 'As your leader I had to do that. I stood out front. I led. I know there's a risk, a danger, but that's OK,' he said 

 * The president left Walter Reed after spending three nights at the hospital being treated for COVID-19 * He walked out the door at 6:40pm with a wave, a thumbs up and a fist pump before boarding Marine One 

 * At 6:45pm the helicopter took off from the Bethesda, Maryland facility and flew back to the White House 

 * Marine One landed at 6:55pm on the South Lawn of the White House 

 * Marine One crew will have to isolate for 14 days and the helicopter will have to be deep cleaned 

 * The 74-year-old president tweeted on Monday afternoon that he was feeling 'better than I did 20 years ago!' 

 * His treatment will continue at the White House with doctors on Monday saying he was 'not out of the woods' 

 * He has received four doses of remdesivir and will receive his fifth and final on Tuesday at the White House 

 * The virus has claimed more than 210,000 American lives and more than one million worldwide 

A cleaning crew outfitted in hazmat suits sanitized the West Wing after President Trump returned to the White House and a number of staffers tested positive in recent days. 

Trump on Monday walked out of Walter Reed Medical Center after being blindsided by his COVID-19 diagnosis last week, and boarded Marine One back to the White House. 

Trump admitted that his administration previously downplayed the pandemic -and officials were often seen flouting CDC recommendations - but photos taken after his arrival showed a renewed attempt at precaution. 

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: Hazmat suits?!?!?! I have a friend who supervises the cleaning of a hospital in Montreal. She tells me that her staff, like the doctors and nurses, have the proper PPE equipment to do their jobs. To her using hazmat suits is overkill. I am not sure about that. The cleaning staff at the White House will certainly disagree with her. And if I was working there, I would certainly want the best protection possible. I am already doing that now. For example I use N95 masks because they provide the best protection available unlike the current facemasks and surgical masks that most people are wearing.

CNN: President Trump's Advisers Hesitated To Give Military Options Over Fears He Might Start A War

CNN: Trump advisers hesitated to give military options and warned adversaries over fears he might start a war

Washington (CNN)Amid escalating tensions with both North Korea and Iran, President Donald Trump's advisers hesitated to give him military options fearing the President might accidentally take the US to war and deliberately informed their counterparts in both countries that they did not know what the President would do next, multiple former administration officials tell me.

These accounts are contained in my upcoming book, "The Madman Theory: Trump Takes on the World," which will be published August 11 by Harper Collins.

Trump's relationship with Kim Jong Un has blown hot and cold throughout his presidency but in 2017 as the President dubbed Kim "little rocket man" and the North Korean dictator responded by calling Trump a "dotard," there was a very real fear amongst senior members of the administration that the war of words might culminate in the President launching military action against Pyongyang.

Read more ....

Update: Trump advisers were wary of talking military options over fears he'd accidentally start war: report (The Hill)

WNU Editor:Withholding information/intelligence/options/etc. from the President or his staff is a dangerous course of action.

Exterior Lights Were Put Out At The White House Last Night

Exterior lights out at the White House. pic.twitter.com/17WIaoFdyx

— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) June 1, 2020

WNU Editor: This is unprecedented.

White House Says It Has No Plans For A President Pelosi If Trump And Pence Are Incapacitated By The Coronavirus

: White House: No plans for a President Pelosi if Trump, Pence are incapacitated by coronavirus

The disease penetrated the president’s inner circle last week.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany revealed Thursday there is no procedure in place to facilitate House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s ascension to the presidency should President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence become incapacitated by the coronavirus.

The disease penetrated the president’s inner circle last week after one of Trump’s personal valets and Katie Miller, Pence’s press secretary and the wife of White House adviser Stephen Miller, both tested positive for Covid-19. But McEnany said the administration has not taken action to prepare for the possibility that Pelosi might need to step in as commander in chief.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I laughed when I first read the story. We clearly have a case of a reporter fantasizing that there will be a President Pelosi in the future. But the look on White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany's face when she was asked that question is priceless. Bottom line. It is not going to happen.