Hassett Exit Opens Top White House Economic Post
Businesses tracking federal economic forecasts should watch the replacement, since the National Economic Council shapes policy analysis that affects tax and trade planning.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Economic Indicators
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Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, is expected to depart the Trump administration in the coming weeks, according to a Semafor report citing three people familiar with the plans. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and David Zervos are among those being considered as replacements, a shift that matters to businesses tracking federal economic policy leadership.
Why it matters
Hassett has reportedly been inquiring about roles outside the administration since before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, and Semafor reported the departure is not tied to the election results, which saw Democrats retake both chambers of Congress. For operators, leadership turnover at the council that shapes economic policy can signal shifts in how federal economic priorities are set.
The departure concerns one senior economic post, with Hassett having held the council chair role in Trump's first term before returning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal Reserve leadership has already been settled, with Kevin Warsh receiving the Fed chairman role after Hassett was considered for it last year.
The players
Kevin Hassett
Director of the White House National Economic Council, a former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers who has moved between government and advisory roles.
Scott Bessent
U.S. Treasury Secretary, overseeing federal fiscal policy, debt management, and financial regulation affecting businesses nationwide.
Stephen Miller
White House official who was named chief of staff, succeeding Susie Wiles, and who shapes administration policy on immigration and domestic affairs.
The details
The National Economic Council coordinates economic policy advice across the White House, so its director shapes the analysis that feeds federal decisions on taxes, trade, and spending. Hassett's expected exit would open that coordinating role to replacement, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and David Zervos among those reportedly under consideration. The reported move comes amid a broader White House staffing change, as Trump replaced chief of staff Susie Wiles with Stephen Miller last week.
Timeline
Last year: Hassett was considered to replace Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, and Kevin Warsh received the role.
2019: Hassett left his chairmanship of the Council of Economic Advisers.
Nov. 3: The midterm elections resulted in Democrats retaking both chambers of Congress.
Last week: Trump replaced chief of staff Susie Wiles with Stephen Miller.
In the coming weeks: Hassett is expected to depart the administration.
Market Landscape
Hassett's expected exit follows his earlier pattern of leaving the Council of Economic Advisers in 2019 and returning as a senior adviser during COVID-19. The Fed chair selection, where he was also considered, went to Kevin Warsh, placing Hassett's next move within a broader turnover of economic policy roles.
Operators should treat this as a leadership-change signal rather than a policy change, since no new rules or budgets were reported. Businesses that rely on federal economic forecasts should watch who replaces Hassett, as that choice may influence the economic analysis guiding tax and trade decisions.
The takeaway
Hassett's departure has no reported timeline beyond 'the coming weeks,' so operators should watch for an official White House announcement naming a successor. Tracking the replacement's background will indicate whether federal economic analysis shifts in emphasis.
Further reading
For broader context on the federal data and policy signals that shape business planning, explore Economic Indicators.
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