Vice President JD Vance is losing the man who has been at his side since the start of his political career. Jacob Reses, Vance's chief of staff, plans to depart the White House by the end of summer, Fox News Digital reported Thursday.
No successor has been named. No official reason was given in the Fox News report. But the departure appears to be a planned, personal decision rather than a sudden break, Reses told Vance months ago that he intended to step away after his wife became pregnant with their first child, the Washington Examiner reported.
The timing is still notable. Reses exits at a moment when Vance has taken on an increasingly visible role in the administration, pressing the Department of Justice on fraud allegations in Minnesota, weighing in on foreign policy, and building a national profile that has him leading early 2028 presidential speculation.
Reses has been with Vance since the beginning. He played a key role in Vance's 2022 Ohio Senate campaign and became his White House chief of staff when the administration took office in January 2025. Before that, Just The News noted, Reses worked at Heritage Action and for Sen. Josh Hawley, a résumé that placed him squarely in the populist-conservative wing of the party.
Vance made clear how much the departure stings. In a statement to Fox News Digital, the vice president called Reses irreplaceable in all but name:
"Jacob's been by my side for my whole career in public life. I can't imagine having been on this life-changing journey without him. From day one of my time as a Senator-elect, I could not have asked for a more loyal and discerning advisor and friend as my chief of staff."
Vance added: "I'll miss him dearly, but he won't be far, and I plan to keep his counsel close until our paths cross again."
That language, "won't be far", suggests Reses may remain in the broader orbit even after leaving the formal role. But for now, the vice president's office will need to fill a seat occupied by someone who understood Vance's instincts and priorities from the ground floor.
The reaction from senior officials was swift and uniformly warm. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has emerged as a prominent figure in 2028 GOP succession conversations alongside Vance, offered pointed praise.
"Jacob has served the Vice President and the entire administration with distinction. He understands the moment we're in and he spent every day fighting to deliver results for the President. His intellect, leadership, and humor will be missed."
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff called Reses "a killer", high praise in the blunt vernacular of this White House. Attorney General Todd Blanche, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and White House chief of staff Suzie Wiles also offered commendations, Fox News Digital reported.
That kind of across-the-board send-off is rare in Washington. It suggests Reses earned trust not just within the vice president's office but across the broader administration, a sign that Vance's operation has been well-integrated rather than siloed.
Reses' departure comes just days after Vance made headlines for referring fraud allegations involving Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison to the Justice Department's fraud division for a potential criminal investigation.
Vance announced the referral during an appearance on Fox News' "Jesse Watters Primetime," framing it as a break from the prior administration's approach:
"We're certainly going to investigate this, Jesse, and I guess now I can make a bit of breaking news because I left the White House to come here to do this interview with you. And before I did, we actually referred this particular case to the Department of Justice for a full criminal investigation. We are not going to do what the Biden administration did and make judgments of the law before all the facts are in."
The referral stems from a House Oversight Committee report that alleged state officials in Minnesota, including Walz and Ellison, were warned about fraud but failed to act. The report alleged that inaction was driven in part by litigation threats and fears of being accused of discrimination.
Vance did not hold back about what he found most troubling. He pointed to whistleblowers inside Walz's own office who flagged suspicious activity and were shut down:
"You had people within Governor Walz's office who were saying, you know what? This looks like fraud. It looks like these Somalian illegal immigrants are doing something that's very shady, and then you had people who shut them down, who shut these whistleblowers down and said, you know, you're a racist or you're a xenophobe for asking questions about where taxpayer money is going."
Neither Walz nor Ellison has publicly responded to the allegations in the materials reviewed. The DOJ investigation, if it proceeds, would mark a significant escalation, and it is the kind of aggressive accountability move that Reses, as chief of staff, would have helped orchestrate behind the scenes.
The Minnesota fraud referral is not the only front where Vance has been active. He has also spoken publicly about DOJ investigations into immigration fraud and has weighed in on major foreign policy questions, including expressing confidence about the trajectory of U.S. involvement with Iran.
A chief of staff departure is always a moment of transition, but this one carries extra weight. Reses was not a hired gun brought in for a single campaign cycle. He was a true believer who joined Vance when the Ohio Senate race was still uncertain and stayed through the vice-presidential nomination and into the White House.
That kind of continuity matters. It means institutional memory, shared instincts, and the ability to move fast without lengthy briefings. Whoever replaces Reses will need time to build that rapport, time that may be short if Vance's public role continues to expand.
Vance's standing within the party remains strong. He dominated the CPAC 2028 straw poll earlier this year, and his willingness to take on fights, from Minnesota fraud to Iran policy, has solidified his reputation as the administration's most active vice president in recent memory.
The open questions are practical. Who fills the chief of staff chair? Does Reses stay close enough to advise informally? And can Vance maintain the operational tempo that has defined his first months in office without the person who helped build it?
Washington burns through people. The hours are brutal, the scrutiny is constant, and the rewards are mostly intangible. That a young staffer would choose to step back for the arrival of a first child is the kind of decision that deserves respect rather than speculation about palace intrigue.
Reses informed Vance months in advance. The departure is planned for the end of summer, not effective immediately. Senior officials across the administration praised his work. There is no indication of a rift, a policy disagreement, or a forced exit.
Sometimes a departure is just a departure. The more interesting question is what comes next, for both men.
Vance called Reses a loyal friend and a discerning adviser. In a capital that runs on ambition and disposable alliances, that kind of loyalty is worth more than any title on a door.
