Rep Mark Meadows has been the White House ‘sherpa’ on impeachment — and may be next chief of staff: report

Mick Mulvaney, the director of the Office of Management and Budget who also works as the acting White House chief of staff, is struggling in his job as the impeachment inquiry moves to the public hearings phase.

"Mick Mulvaney is isolated, marginalized and growing more irrelevant to the West Wing staff he’s meant to lead during one of the most consequential moments of the Trump presidency," Politico reported.

Mulvaney is increasingly out of the loop on impeachment.

"Though the White House’s acting chief of staff is still participating in impeachment meetings and working out of the White House, the strategy is increasingly being driven by White House lawyers, legislative affairs team and top officials from the press and communications shops who spent the week setting up a rapid-response team and developing plans to push back on witnesses’ testimony in real-time," Politico reported. "It’s an awkward staff situation that mirrors so many moments of the Trump presidency: aides trying to proceed with business as usual while unusual dramas play out, and the very people expected to lead the effort instead witnessing jockeying by potential replacements."

Mulvaney's predicament may result in yet another White House shake-up.

"Adding to the speculation that Mulvaney is no longer within Trump’s inner circle and ultimately replaceable as chief of staff has been the recent, constant presence of Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) at the White House. Meadows has been a ubiquitous figure in the West Wing ever since House Democrats launched their inquiry in September, and Trump sees him as a loyal ally who provided useful advice early on, when Mulvaney and other senior administration officials were reluctant to take charge or establish a coherent defense strategy," Politico noted.

"One White House official described Meadows as the internal 'sherpa' for impeachment, likening the conservative congressman, who is especially close with the president, to aides who spent long hours guiding Trump’s Supreme Court nominees through the grueling Senate confirmation process," Politico added.

Read the full report.