Mulvaney confirms he’d have to take a pay cut to be permanent White House chief of staff

Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney acknowledged that he would be taking a pay cut if he were to move into his current role permanently. 

At a question-and-answer session in Oxford Union, England, Mulvaney spoke candidly about occasionally disagreeing with President Trump and the reason he has not moved into a permanent role in the White House.

“Because it’s a $20,000 pay cut,” he said, according to The New York Times.

Mulvaney makes $203,000 per year as director of the Office of Management and Budget, according to the Annual Report to Congress on White House Personnel.

He has served as acting chief of staff for the president since John Kelly left the position in January 2019, and if he were to officially move onto the White House payroll, he could not legally make more than $183,000. 

Acting appointments are typically limited to six months. 

The Trump administration is known for particularly high turnover and instating people in acting positions, such as acting Secretary of Homeland Secretary Kevin McAleenan and acting Defense Secretary Mark Esper.  

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.