White House Announces Replacement to Key Coronavirus Policy Team Member

As an update on this article covering the departure of Joe Grogan as the White House’s domestic policy chief, a position with leadership responsibilities during the coronavirus pandemic, ANCOR is sharing the reporting below by Politico Pro on Grogan’s replacement.

“President Donald Trump has named Derek Lyons the acting head of the White House’s domestic policy office, according to four people familiar with the decision, including two White House officials.

Lyons is currently the White House staff secretary, an influential but largely unknown role handling the documents Trump sees, including those the president signs. Lyons is expected to retain that job when he succeeds Joe Grogan as director of the Domestic Policy Council, according to the two White House officials. Grogan recently announced his resignation.

Lyons, a lawyer, started his career as a law clerk to Brett Kavanaugh when the Supreme Court justice was still a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals. He later worked on Capitol Hill and for Jeb Bush’s 2016 presidential run before joining the White House. Lyons did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The White House also did not respond to a request for comment.

The next domestic policy chief — Trump’s third — is expected to play a significant role in the president’s efforts to reopen the country amid the coronavirus pandemic. If Trump wins a second term in November, the DPC head would help shape the policy goals of the first 100 days, a benchmark for a president to showcase his priorities.”