Not only have the White House website and Twitter accounts swapped out former President Barack Obama for President Donald Trump, but cabinet departments no longer make any reference to the previous administration.
The Department of Defense’s website features its caretaker leader, Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work, as its highest official. That’s likely to change soon, upon the expected Friday confirmation of Trump’s defense secretary nominee, retired Marine Gen. James Mattis.
Similarly the Department of Labor lists as its acting top leader as Edward Hugler, a career department employee. That arrangement could be in place for awhile, as labor secretary nominee Andy Puzder’s confirmation hearing has been pushed back for a couple of weeks.
Indeed, across the federal government, a group of civil servants most people have never heard of are likely now running the country’s most critical cabinet posts, at least temporarily.