The Office of Political Affairs was created by President Ronald Reagan. And while it has been criticized for as long, it has also been staffed by every president since.

Opponents of the office argue that a partisan political office has no business being in the White House.

“It’s not an office that should be subsidized by taxpayers, and it should not be part of the White House itself,” said Craig Holman, a lobbyist with the government watchdog group Public Citizen. The office has no benefit for the public, he said.

“I’m really disappointed,” Holman said of Obama’s decision. “I really didn’t think he was going to keep it.”