White House Office Shakeup Followed Staff Reshuffle
Communications director Steven Cheung now occupies the office traditionally held by the press secretary.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in People
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Communications director Steven Cheung has taken over the White House West Wing office traditionally reserved for the press secretary. Press Secretary Katie Zacharia, who delivered her first briefing on Tuesday, currently occupies a smaller office in the same suite.
Why it matters
Changes in organizational physical space often reflect shifting internal hierarchies and communication workflows within high-stakes operations. These moves follow the vacancy created when Karoline Leavitt departed the press secretary office in August.
Steven Cheung now holds the space previously occupied by deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich, while Katie Zacharia shares her current workspace with an aide. This follows the 11-day tenure of Anthony Scaramucci in 2017, the shortest in recent communication director history.
The players
Steven Cheung
The current White House communications director who occupies the office traditionally assigned to the press secretary.
Katie Zacharia
The current White House press secretary who works from a small corner office in the West Wing.
Karoline Leavitt
The former White House press secretary who vacated the traditional press office in August.
Anthony Scaramucci
A former White House communications director who served for 11 days in 2017.
The details
The current office configuration represents a departure from standard West Wing spatial norms. While Cheung moved into the traditional press secretary suite, Zacharia operates from a smaller corner office within the same wing. The adjustment comes after Karoline Leavitt vacated the primary office in August.
Timeline
August 2026: Karoline Leavitt vacated the press secretary office.
Tuesday, October 13, 2026: Katie Zacharia delivered her first press briefing.
Market Landscape
This office reshuffle mirrors historical trends of rapid administrative transitions and internal hierarchy resets. It follows a pattern of high-turnover dynamics last seen during the 2017 tenure of Anthony Scaramucci.
Operators should monitor how internal reporting structures shift when primary office locations are reallocated. These spatial changes frequently signal underlying adjustments in authority and communication flow.
The takeaway
Staff office location is a tangible indicator of internal influence and reporting dynamics that leaders should observe during restructuring. Pay close attention to how physical proximity impacts decision-making speed in your own organizational charts.
Further reading
For more on evolving organizational leadership, visit People.
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