New White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly reportedly is eyeing his Homeland Security spokesman, David Lapan, to fill the vacant post of White House communications director.
Mr. Lapan is at the top of a short list to serve as the White House’s top official on communications and promoting the president’s agenda, two administration officials told CNN Money. He would take the position formerly held by Anthony Scaramucci, a friend of the president who lasted 10 days in the job before Mr. Kelly forced him out on Monday.
Mr. Kelly, a retired four-star Marine Corps general, served as Homeland Security secretary until Mr. Trump tapped him as the new chief of staff on Friday. He began work in his new job Monday, replacing the ousted Reince Priebus.
Mr. Lapan told CNNMoney he had not spoken to Mr. Kelly or anyone else at the White House about the job.
“I’ve seen speculation, but at this point it’s only speculation,” he said. “I haven’t talked to him or to anybody else about it.”
Colin Kahl, who was an adviser to ex-Vice President Joseph R. Biden, praised Mr. Lapan on Twitter.
“Lapan is a great American with a lot of integrity. He’d be a good pick, but maintaining integrity hard in this WH,” he said.
Mr. Lapan is a career Marine and experienced public-affairs officer but is not considered a political strategist of the sort that typically holds the White House communications post.
Among the other names that have been floated for the job are Bill Shine, a former Fox News executive who dined with the president and Mr. Scaramucci at the White House last week.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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