The White House has directed the Interior Department’s chief of staff, Jennifer Van der Heide, to step away from her position after she tried to plan an indoor party with roughly 50 attendees to celebrate the confirmation of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, according to an administration official with knowledge of the matter. White House officials had initially expressed concerns last week about the planned party, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record. The White House officials worried that the party would spread the virus while undermining President Biden’s efforts to urge Americans to continue to practice social distancing to avoid a possible new surge. The planned party and Ms. Van der Heide’s removal as chief of staff were first reported by Politico. Ms. Van der Heide did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

Source: New York Times April 01, 2021 18:33 UTC