John Gibbs, recently embroiled in legal tensions as the former Ottawa County Administrator, has secured a position with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Policy Development and Research division, with responsibilities including overseeing research and policy agendas focused on housing and community development, as reported by WZZM13.

Following his dismissal from Ottawa County amidst wrongful termination claims, Gibbs will now manage various divisions at HUD, ensuring updated knowledge on market conditions and spearheading investigations surrounding key housing matters as well as the Management and Administrative Services Division, as per FOX 17 News. This role places him again at the forefront of federal policy, where he previously served under the Trump administration as the acting assistant secretary for Community Planning and Development prior to his stint as an Ottawa County leader and a policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation.

Gibbs' tumultuous exit from Ottawa County — which involved a wrongful termination lawsuit resulting in a $190,000 settlement, with one-third going toward legal fees — does not seem to have deterred his trajectory, as he now returns to the helm of national policy within HUD, as noted by Ottawa News Network.

"I’m honored to have President Trump’s trust to serve him a second time as I return to HUD, this time as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary leading the department of Policy Development and Research," Gibbs told Ottawa News Network, emphasizing his commitment to propagate a robust research and policy agenda that benefits the Trump administration, newly appointed HUD Secretary Scott Turner, and the American populace. Function within his new role includes ensuring the efficacy of the Budget and Financial Management Division and the Procurement Management Division thereby aiming to fortify the department's work on affordable housing and data transparency.