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President Joe Biden announced Thursday that his director of the National Economic Council, Brian Deese, plans to step down from his role, a long-awaited confirmation of an expected departure.
Biden’s statement gave no details on a successor or timing of Deese’s departure, but praised his top economist’s work at a difficult time for the US economy.
“Brian has a unique ability to translate complex policy challenges into concrete action that improves the lives of Americans. He helped turn my economic vision into reality and managed the transition of our historic economic recovery to steady and stable growth,” Biden said in the statement, praising Deese’s “critical” role in passing major legislation, including the bipartisan one infrastructure law. the Covid-19 Relief Act, the CHIPs and Science Act and the Health and Climate Package.
Biden is expected to commit to the implementation and success of these key legislations through an expected re-election announcement.
“I am grateful to his wife Kara and children Adeline and Clark for lending Brian to us. I know exactly what it must have been like to say goodbye to him for the regular long drive to Washington, and I know they’re excited to welcome him home,” Biden said.
Speaking to MSNBC after Thursday’s announcement, Deese acknowledged the outsized economic challenges the nation faced during his tenure as the president’s chief economic adviser.
“It was an unprecedented time in almost every way, where we were dealing with a pandemic, an economic crisis, and then all sorts of uncertain events like the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” Deese said. “As I look back and as I look forward, what I find most comforting is the strength and just nature of this economic recovery that has defied many projections and adversities.”
After two years of stability, Biden is in the process of transforming the White House economics team at a moment when the U.S. economy has shown a level of consistency in job creation and growth that analysts – and even some in the west wing – surprised.
Cecilia Rouse, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, has long planned to return to Princeton University next month. Her likely successor in the role will be Jared Bernstein, a current CEA member and Biden’s longtime economic adviser, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Nor has Biden chosen an NEC replacement, a crucial role even more assumed by Deese, who led Biden’s economics team while playing a central role in the legislative negotiations that paved the way for trillions in new spending aimed at entire sectors to change the economy.
Lael Brainard, vice chairman of the Federal Reserve, remains the frontrunner to win for the position, two people familiar with the matter said, although they warned that Biden has not yet weighed his decision and likely wouldn’t until after the state the union address. Other candidates include current White House official Gene Sperling, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Sylvia Matthews Burwell, a former cabinet official in the Obama administration.
Deese told MSNBC Thursday that the president hasn’t made a decision on who will fill the role.
The announcement of Deese’s impending departure comes a day after the White House held an emotional event to mark the departure of Biden’s first chief of staff, Ron Klain.
The departures of two of Biden’s top advisers could signal upcoming changes in the White House and administration as staff and cabinet officials ponder a possible change midway through Biden’s first term.
The prospect of exits has not escaped the White House.
Ahead of last November’s midterm elections, the White House announced a talent scouting project to prepare for potential cabinet and senior administrative vacancies. Biden’s former Covid-19 coordinator Jeff Zients has been tasked with spearheading the identification of potential replacement roles. He will succeed Klain as Biden’s chief of staff.
This story has been updated with more reports.