Trump says cabinet members give him "more flexibility"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he was hurrying to find permanent replacements for a quarter of his cabinet, currently holding an acting position, as this gives him "more flexibility."

"I'm in no hurry," Trump told the press as he was leaving for Camp David, United States. presidential retreat, for meetings on the partial closure of the government. About a quarter of the US government has been closed for more than two weeks and about 800,000 public servants have been laid off or working without pay.

"I like to play. It gives me more flexibility. Do you understand that? I like to play. So we have some who act. We have a very large firm, "said Trump. He did not explain why they gave him more flexibility.

There are 24 Cabinet positions and six are currently filled by acting staff after the departure of members confirmed by the US Senate.

In addition to the White House Chief of Staff and the Deputy Speaker, cabinet members must be confirmed by the Senate. Federal law allows presidents to temporarily fill vacancies by appointing Acting Heads of Department who are already employed there.

Trump said last month that he was in no hurry to appoint a new defense secretary after Jim Mattis had resigned for political reasons, and he congratulated the interim secretary, Patrick Shanahan.

David Bernhardt is Acting Secretary of the Department of the Interior while Matthew Whitaker is Acting Attorney General. Andrew Wheeler is Acting Chief of the Environmental Protection Agency, while Mick Mulvaney is Acting Chief of Staff of the White House. Jonathan Cohen is acting ambassador to the United Nations.

According to the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think-tank, the turnover rate of senior advisers was 65% in the first two years of its presidency.