Kevin Hassett expected to depart White House as Trump's top economic adviser
Summary
- National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett is expected to leave the White House in the coming weeks, according to three people familiar with his plans.
- Hassett has been inquiring about roles outside the administration since before the November 2026 midterms, and his departure is reported as not tied to the results.
- President Donald Trump tapped Hassett, who served in his first administration, as his top economic adviser nearly two years earlier.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who could hold both jobs, and his counselor David Zervos are among those being eyed to replace Hassett.
- Hassett's deputy Ryan Baasch left the White House at the end of September 2026, part of broader staffing changes under chief of staff Stephen Miller.
Reactions
- People inside and close to the administration forecast further staffing changes and departures as 2026 comes to a close.
Timeline newest first
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett was reported on 13 November 2026 to be expected to depart the White House in the coming weeks.
Sources newest first
- Exclusive: Hassett expected to depart White House
Semafor exclusively reports that National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett is expected to leave the White House in the coming weeks, though his plans could still change and aren't tied to the midterm results. The briefing also covers Jensen Huang's ouster as Nvidia CEO over an affair with a suspected Chinese spy, and Anthropic's $1.4 trillion IPO.
