Trump reportedly kept Mick Mulvaney out of the loop on the al-Baghdadi raid


President Trump didn't bother telling his own acting chief of staff about the raid targeting ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi ahead of time, NBC News reports.
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, the report states, learned about the hugely significant raid only "after the operation was already underway" and received a briefing on Saturday night. In contrast, Bill Daley, chief of staff for former President Obama, was not only aware of the Osama bin Laden raid but was present while the president monitored it.
"It's really unprecedented, and to me it's just a symptom of a total breakdown in the White House functions," Chris Whipple, an expert who authored a book about White House chiefs of staff, told NBC. Andrew Card, chief of staff under former President George W. Bush, also said, "I'm baffled by it."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Mulvaney was reportedly home in South Carolina for the weekend, with a White House official telling NBC he "was not able to get to a secure location in time to participate" but "was briefed on [the raid's] success upon conclusion."
This report comes amid questions about Mulvaney's future in the White House following a widely-panned press conference during which he seemed to accidentally admit to a quid pro quo in the Ukraine scandal, only to immediately backtrack. Axios' Jonathan Swan, though, is skeptical that his departure is imminent, tweeting Wednesday, "every conversation I've had with people around Trump over last 24 hours makes me think Mulvaney won’t be fired any time soon."
Still, NBC News notes Mulvaney being kept out of the loop on the raid at least suggests "he is increasingly sidelined" in the White House. Whipple summed it up by saying, "he really is an invisible man at this point."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictions
Speed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump sets 25% tariffs on auto imports
Speed Read The White House says the move will increase domestic manufacturing. But the steep import taxes could also harm the US auto industry.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump allies urge White House to admit chat blunder
Speed Read Even pro-Trump figures are criticizing The White House's handling of the Signal scandal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ouster
Speed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge: Nazis treated better than Trump deportees
speed read U.S. District Judge James Boasberg reaffirmed his order barring President Donald Trump from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US officials share war plans with journalist in group chat
Speed Read Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal conversation about striking Yemen
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada's Mark Carney calls snap election
speed read Voters will go to the polls on April 28 to pick a new government
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published