The current commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, Kevin McAleenan, will temporarily take on the duties of homeland security secretary. It’s not clear who will take over for McMahon.
Depending on who permanently replaces Nielsen and McMahon, Trump will have just three women sitting at the table for Cabinet meetings. Haley’s UN position — one that has been filled by a succession of women — was downgraded, leaving 23 Cabinet-level positions.
It’s not clear that the remaining women in Trump’s Cabinet are in any danger, though Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has been under scrutiny recently for her department’s short-lived proposal to cut funding for the Special Olympics, which briefly put her on the wrong side of Trump. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao — the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — and CIA Director Gina Haspel, Trump’s replacement for his now-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, are the other two.
Turnover in top positions
There is also not currently a permanent chief of staff, supposedly the president’s right hand, and a position that does not require Senate approval, although it does have Cabinet rank.
Reince Priebus came first, the Republican insider who lasted a little more than six months in the role. John Kelly lasted longer, a year and half, from July of 2017 through the end of 2018. Rather than give his successor the title outright, Trump made Mick Mulvaney, who is still technically the director of the Office of Management and Budget, a sort-of promotion to acting chief of staff. A deputy of Mulvaney’s is now acting OMB director.
Acting leaders
And that’s another key theme of Trump’s presidency. He’ll fire or push out a Cabinet secretary who frustrates him and then wait months to nominate a permanent successor, even in crucial roles.
That’s what happened with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the nation’s top lawyer. Trump pushed Sessions out of the role after more than a year of venting his frustration that Sessions had recused himself from the Russia election interference investigation. The President waited a month to nominate William Barr in Sessions’ place.
Turnover in national security, diplomacy positions
Shanahan isn’t the only key national security official to be left hanging.
Nielsen herself had been on thin ice with Trump for months even though she had defended his controversial positions, like separating the children of undocumented immigrants from their parents at the border. She had been brought to the role by her predecessor, Kelly, a former Marine who left his position as homeland security secretary to become Trump’s second chief of staff, before being supplanted by Mulvaney.
Source : Nbcnewyork