President Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE said Sunday he's in "no hurry" to name permanent choices for a handful of Cabinet positions being filled in an acting capacity.

"I sort of like acting. It gives me more flexibility. Do you understand that?" Trump told reporters as he left the White House for Camp David. "I like acting. We have a few that are acting but we have a great, great, Cabinet."

Trump praised acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney Mick MulvaneyMick Mulvaney to start hedge fund Fauci says positive White House task force reports don't always match what he hears on the ground Bottom line MORE for their work.

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Trump's Cabinet has undergone a series of changes in recent weeks. In addition to Bernhardt and Mulvaney, Matthew Whitaker is serving as the acting attorney general; Andrew Wheeler is serving as acting administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; Patrick Shanahan Patrick Michael ShanahanHouse Armed Services chairman expresses confidence in Esper amid aircraft carrier coronavirus crisis Boeing pleads for bailout under weight of coronavirus, 737 fallout Esper's chief of staff to depart at end of January MORE is serving as acting Defense secretary; and Jonathan Cohen is serving as acting ambassador to the United Nations.

.@realDonaldTrump tells me “I like “Acting “ when I asked about choosing new cabinet secretaries for his vacancies. Watch here. pic.twitter.com/w7SxiuLen2 — Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) January 6, 2019

Except for chief of staff, each of those positions requires Senate confirmation.

Trump has tapped Wheeler as his choice for the permanent EPA administrator, picked former Attorney General William Barr to fill that position once again, and nominated Heather Nauert for ambassador to the United Nations.

Trump said upon announcing ex-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke Ryan Keith ZinkeTrump extends Florida offshore drilling pause, expands it to Georgia, South Carolina Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention Trump flails as audience dwindles and ratings plummet MORE's departure on Dec. 15 that he would announce a replacement the following week, but has not done so.

The president has also yet to name a permanent replacement for former Defense Secretary James Mattis James Norman MattisBiden courts veterans amid fallout from Trump military controversies Trump says he wanted to take out Syria's Assad but Mattis opposed it Gary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November MORE, who left his post on Jan. 1. Mattis had resigned effective at the end of February, but Trump forced his Defense chief out early after Mattis's resignation letter implicitly criticized the president.

Mulvaney is serving as acting chief of staff, replacing John Kelly John Francis KellyMORE in the role. Mulvaney is remaining on as head of the Office of Management and Budget, but Deputy Director Russ Vought is handling the agency’s day-to-day operations while Mulvaney works as Trump’s top aide.