Klain assigned Zients different projects in recent weeks, which some regarded as a move to prepare him for the senior position, The Washington Post reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Zients returned to the White House last fall and assisted Klain in the preparation of personnel reshuffles after the US 2022 midterm elections in November, the report said.
In April 2022, Zients left his position of the White House COVID-19 chief and was replaced by Dr. Ashish Jha. Biden said that 80% of adults in the United States were fully vaccinated and over 100 million people were boosted under Zients's 14-month management.
On Saturday, The New York Times reported that Klain, who has been remaining in office longer than any other presidential first chief of staff in more than 50 years, might step down in the coming weeks and that a search of a successor was underway. Klain's decision to step down is reportedly unrelated to the ongoing investigation about classified documents found at Biden's private office and Delaware residence.