If you walked past him on a street in D.C., you probably wouldn't look twice. He doesn't have the fire-breathing reputation of a Rahm Emanuel or the decades of cable news cameos associated with Ron Klain. Yet, as of early 2026, Jeff Zients remains the man holding the keys to the Oval Office.
He’s the guy who makes sure the most powerful person in the world shows up on time and with the right briefings in hand. It’s a grueling, thankless job. Honestly, it’s basically a high-stakes air traffic controller role for a city that never stops crashing.
Most people still think of the "Chief of Staff" as a political hatchet man. Someone like the fictional Leo McGarry from The West Wing. But Zients is different. He's a "fixer" in the most literal, spreadsheet-driven sense of the word.
Jeff Zients: The Man Who Runs the Show
When you ask who is Biden’s chief of staff, you’re really asking about the person who inherited the administration’s "implementation" phase. Ron Klain, the first chief, was the legislative architect. He helped pass the big bills like the Inflation Reduction Act. Zients? He was brought in to make sure those bills actually worked in the real world.
He officially took over the role in February 2023. At the time, critics were skeptical. They called him "Corporate Jeff" because of his deep background in private equity and consulting.
- Background: Former CEO of The Advisory Board Company.
- Government Cred: He was Obama’s "Mr. Fix-It" who saved the botched Healthcare.gov rollout.
- The Vibe: Data-driven, obsessed with efficiency, and remarkably low-drama.
He isn't on Twitter (X) picking fights. He isn't leaked about in every gossip column. Instead, Zients focuses on the "unsexy" stuff of government. We're talking supply chains, infrastructure rollout, and keeping the various agencies from tripping over each other.
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Why Zients is still there in 2026
By now, many expected a "campaign" chief to take over. Usually, when a president hits the home stretch, they want a political operative. But Biden has stuck with Zients. Why? Because the President values loyalty and competence over flashiness.
Zients has managed to keep the West Wing relatively leak-free. That’s no small feat in Washington. He also has a weirdly close relationship with the President. They’re both early risers. They both value a "process" where everyone gets their say before a decision is made.
What does a Chief of Staff actually do?
The title sounds fancy. In reality, it's a 15-hour-a-day slog. You are the gatekeeper. If the Secretary of State wants ten minutes with the President, they have to go through Zients. If a Senator is mad about a local bridge project, they call Zients.
Basically, he protects the President’s time.
The gatekeeper's burden
Every morning starts at the crack of dawn. He reviews the overnight cables, meets with the National Security Advisor, and preps the President for the "Daily Brief."
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There’s a lot of myth-making around this role. People think the Chief of Staff makes the decisions. They don’t. They frame the options. If Zients does his job well, Biden has three clear choices on his desk, not twenty messy ones.
One interesting detail about Zients: he’s known for his love of bagels. Specifically, he used to own a bagel shop in D.C. called "Call Your Mother." It’s a fun fact that humanizes a guy who otherwise looks like a standard-issue management consultant.
The "Corporate" Criticism
It hasn't all been smooth sailing for Jeff. The progressive wing of the Democratic party sort of hates his resume. They see his time at firms like Bain & Company and his seat on the Facebook board as red flags.
They worry he’s too friendly to big business. During his tenure, there have been heated debates over healthcare costs and student loans. Critics argue a more "political" chief would have pushed harder on social issues.
However, Zients has a "just get it done" mentality. He’s the guy who coordinated the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Regardless of how you feel about the mandates, the logistics were a massive undertaking. He’s a logistics guy.
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The Inner Circle
Zients doesn't work in a vacuum. He relies on a small group of deputies to keep the building standing. You’ve got people like Bruce Reed, who is the policy brain, and Annie Tomasini, who handles the President’s personal schedule.
- Natalie Quillian: She’s a key deputy who followed him from the COVID response team.
- Jen O'Malley Dillon: Though she moved over to the campaign side, her influence still looms large in the West Wing.
It’s a tight-knit group. They’ve been through the 2024 election cycle together. They’ve handled the wars in Europe and the Middle East. At this stage in the second term, they’re basically a family that’s tired of each other but still gets the job done.
Looking Ahead: The Legacy of the 31st Chief
So, what is the legacy of who is Biden’s chief of staff? If you look at the numbers, the Biden-Zients era has been defined by a "return to normalcy" in terms of staffing.
Unlike the previous administration, which saw a revolving door of chiefs (Priebus, Kelly, Mulvaney, Meadows), Zients has provided a long period of stability. He’s one of the longest-serving chiefs in recent history.
Actionable Insights: Understanding the Power Structure
If you’re trying to track how the U.S. government is actually moving in 2026, don’t just watch the President's speeches. Watch what Zients is prioritizing.
- Follow the Implementation: Look at how the CHIPS Act and the Infrastructure Law are being spent. That’s where Zients’ fingerprints are.
- The Gatekeeper Effect: If a policy seems to be stalled, it usually means the Chief of Staff’s office hasn't greenlit it for the President’s final review.
- Watch the Departures: When Zients eventually leaves—and they all do—it will signal a massive shift in how the White House operates. Whoever replaces him will define the final legacy of this administration.
Jeff Zients might not be a household name. He probably likes it that way. In a city obsessed with the spotlight, he’s the guy in the shadows making sure the lights stay on.
To stay updated on West Wing personnel changes, you can regularly check the official White House Briefing Room releases or follow veteran reporters like Tyler Pager or Yasmeen Abutaleb, who have tracked Zients' career closely since the transition days. Monitoring the "A-Team" turnover reports from organizations like the Brookings Institution also provides a data-driven look at how Zients' management style compares to his predecessors.