Marty Walsh to Leave Biden Administration for NHLPA Position, Becoming First Statutory Member of Cabinet to Depart

Washington, DC – President Joe Biden’s Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is set to leave the Biden administration to become head of the National Hockey League Players Association, according to two sources. Walsh, a former Boston mayor and union president, is expected to step down in the near future for his new job, which was first reported by the Daily Faceoff, a hockey news website.

The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 created a line of succession if the president dies or is incapacitated. Walsh is the designated survivor for the State of the Union, or the person who will take over as president if there is a mass casualty event while most of the government is at the Capitol. The first to take office would be the vice president, followed by the speaker of the House (Kevin McCarthy), and the president pro tempore of the Senate.

Walsh was taken to an undisclosed location before the State of the Union by the Secret Service, where he will watch the address on television. This is to ensure that he is safe and ready to take over if needed. Walsh will be cleared to leave after President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the members of the line of succession have safely returned to their homes after the speech.

Walsh will take over the NHLPA from Don Fehr, who has held the job since 2010, and in advance of the next collective bargaining agreement fight in 2026. Walsh is the first statutory member of President Joe Biden’s cabinet to leave the administration.

The White House has not yet commented on Walsh’s departure, but it is expected to be announced in the near future. Walsh’s departure will leave a vacancy in the Biden administration, which will need to be filled in the coming weeks.