White House Hosts Official Transition Event to Thank Ron Klain and Welcome Jeff Zients

On Thursday, the White House hosted an official transition event to thank Chief of Staff Ron Klain for his tireless work and officially welcome Jeff Zients back to the White House in this role. The event was hosted by President Joe Biden, who praised Klain for his hard work over the past four years. “Ron has been a tremendous asset to my administration and I’m grateful for all he has done,” said Biden. “He is a trusted advisor and friend, and I am confident that he will continue to be successful in whatever he chooses to do next.” Klain thanked the president for his kind words and noted that it had been an honor serving as chief of staff. He then introduced Zients as his successor, noting that he was confident that Zients would bring great leadership skills and experience to the role. Zients thanked Klain for his warm welcome and expressed excitement about returning to the White House in this capacity. He also shared some of his plans for the future of the office, including focusing on diversity initiatives within the administration, increasing collaboration between departments, and continuing efforts to combat climate change. The event concluded with a round of applause from those in attendance before everyone gathered outside on the South Lawn for a group photo with Biden at its center. The president thanked everyone once again before they departed, leaving behind an atmosphere of optimism as they looked ahead towards what lies ahead under Zient's leadership.