Vice President JD Vance is reportedly preparing to name longtime Trump aide Nick Luna as his next chief of staff, according to reporting from The Daily Caller citing Punchbowl News.
Luna, who currently serves as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Implementation, is expected to replace Jacob Reses, Vance’s chief of staff since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term. Punchbowl News reported that Reses plans to leave the administration by the end of summer 2026.
The move would place one of Trump’s most trusted aides in a key position within the vice president’s office. Luna served in several roles during Trump’s first administration, including Director of Oval Office Operations from April 2020 through January 2021. He later joined Trump’s 2024 campaign effort before returning to the White House in the current administration.
According to Punchbowl News, sources described Luna as having a “sharp political mind,” with some viewing the appointment as a potential sign that Vance is positioning himself for a future presidential bid in 2028. Vance’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to The Daily Caller.
President Trump praised Luna when announcing his appointment as deputy chief of staff in January, calling him a “highly respected White House veteran and a Trump-Vance campaign warrior.” Trump said Luna would oversee presidential scheduling and help ensure White House messaging, outreach, and operations remained aligned with the administration’s objectives.
Luna has long been part of Trump’s inner circle. Politico previously described him as Trump’s “body man” during the president’s first term, a role that involved managing the president’s day-to-day needs and schedule. Between Trump’s two administrations, Luna briefly served as a director of CIC Ventures, a company established in part to oversee Trump’s paid speaking engagements after leaving office.
Luna also attracted attention during the House Select Committee’s investigation into the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. According to prior reports, he testified that he had witnessed Trump tearing up documents in the White House, though he said he could not recall specific details about their contents.
The reported leadership change comes as several senior Vance aides have departed the administration in recent months. Earlier this year, three top Vance staffers left to join prominent Washington lobbying firms. As GAND previously reported, those departures fueled speculation that Vance was reshaping his political operation as Republicans increasingly look toward the post-Trump era.
Reses’ departure reportedly stems from personal considerations rather than internal disagreements. NBC News reported that Vance had known for months that his chief of staff planned to leave government service. Reses recently married, and his wife is expecting the couple’s first child.
Reaction from Republican operatives has been overwhelmingly positive. Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich congratulated Luna on social media, while Senate Leadership Fund Executive Director Alex Latcham described him as “the ultimate professional” and a “fantastic pick.”
