Just a day after President Donald Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, observers are picking over what his replacement, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, will mean for Foggy Bottom. | Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Trump After Dark: Who Kud it Be Now edition

Trump administration departures have dominated headlines. But today President Donald Trump showed the revolving door works both ways with the White House confirming Larry Kudlow as the new top economic aide at the White House.

Kudlow is a CNBC personality who has informally advised Trump. His smooth TV appearances are part of the reason he was selected, POLITICO’s Ben White reports , and he will assume the role of head of the National Economic Council vacated by the departing Gary Cohn.


In Kudlow, White notes, the president is getting a committed free-trader — much like the departing Cohn.

“Kudlow, a ... former Democrat who served in the Reagan administration, is expected to start in the next few days. He will immediately find himself in conflict with Trump advisers who have strong protectionist tendencies, including trade adviser Peter Navarro and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.”

Kudlow is expected to start soon, possibly within days. Meanwhile, the reverb from Trump’s other staff decisions — or potential staff decisions — continues. Just a day after Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, observers are picking over what his replacement, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, will mean for Foggy Bottom. Today, a handful of top Tillerson aides resigned.

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Trump is also said to be considering the fate of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, though POLITICO’s Lorraine Woellert and Arthur Allen report the embattled Cabinet secretary is holding on, for now.

“Trump may be itching to fire him, but Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin has the support of GOP lawmakers and veterans, and the lack of a preferred successor may keep him at the agency’s helm at least for now.”

Elsewhere in President Trump’s orbit:

GOP LAMB-BASTED: Democrat Conor Lamb appeared to narrowly triumph in a closely watched special election for a House seat in Pennsylvania. President Donald Trump campaigned hard against Lamb in a district that he won by more than 20 points. The GOP is prepping for a recount.

THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST: Rep. Kevin Brady, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, and President Donald Trump both said today they’re working on more tax cuts.

BEN, THERE: Documents show that Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson was involved in the process of picking controversial $31,000 furniture for his office.

DODD-FRANK WALK-BACK: The Senate passed a significant scaling back of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law with bipartisan support. The House is expected to vote on similar legislation soon.

PENCES FOR PENCE: Vice President Mike Pence will host a fundraise r for his brother, Greg — who is running for Congress in Indiana. It’s the same seat Mike Pence held before he ran for governor of Indiana.

BIG DE-SPUTE: Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is splitting from the White House by moving to break apart her agency’s central budget office.

MCCABE TO PRESSURE: Attorney General Jeff Sessions is considering firing veteran FBI official Andrew McCabe — who is set to officially retire on Sunday. Doing so would cost McCabe his pension.

There you have it. You’re caught up on the Trump administration. That's Wednesday in the books.

