Washington, Mar 7 (IANS): US President Donald Trump has announced that North Carolina Congressman Mark Meadows will become the new White House Chief of Staff, replacing Mick Mulvaney who will now assume the post of envoy to Northern Ireland.

"I am pleased to announce that Congressman Mark Meadows will become White House Chief of Staff. I have long known and worked with Mark, and the relationship is a very good one," Trump said in a series of tweets on Friday.

"I want to thank Acting Chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well. He will become the US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. Thank you."

The 60-year-old Meadows' appointment came after he had announced last December that he was retiring at the end of this term in Congress.

Meadows was first elected in 2012. Three years later, he went to the Senate floor seeking the removal of John Boehner from the speakership.

Meanwhile, there was a long-running speculation that Mulvaney, a central figure in the House impeachment inquiry into Trump, would leave his White House role after the end of the case, Xinhua news agency.

He had assumed the role of Chief of Staff on January 2, 2019.