It’s no wonder Mick Mulvaney, Donald Trump’s new White House chief of staff, wanted “acting” in his job title. James A. Baker III, Ronald Reagan’s quintessential gatekeeper, tells every incoming chief the same thing when asked for his advice: “Congratulations, you’ve got the worst f—ing job in government.” The position is so relentless and punishing that Dick Cheney blames his stint as Gerald Ford’s 34-year-old lieutenant for triggering his first heart attack.

For chiefs, those were the best of times. These are the worst, serving a president who makes their lives miserable, and the assignment virtually impossible. How do you perform the second most powerful job in government when the boss treats you like his valet, or cruise director? Don’t ask Reince Priebus or John Kelly, who both failed in the position. In a recent exit interview with the Los Angeles Times, Kelly said he should be judged by all the terrible things he prevented the president from doing. As a metric for a White House chief’s performance, that’s unprecedented. But then, so is Trump.

While it will be incredibly tricky, it is still possible for Mulvaney to improve on the performances of his predecessors, and to be an asset to Trump and the country. Mulvaney was chosen in part for his presumed political savvy; the former South Carolina congressman was thought to be a possible help in Trump‘s expected reelection bid.