President Donald Trump said Friday that he may make “a few changes” to his administration after Republicans’ midterm defeat, while expressing confidence in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The president has already replaced White House chief of staff Susie Wiles with longtime adviser Stephen Miller as Democrats prepare to control both chambers of Congress. Turnover in Trump’s core Cabinet has remained relatively limited during his second term, although Kristi Noem, Pam Bondi and Lori Chavez-DeRemer have left their posts as homeland security, justice and labor secretaries, respectively.
Former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who held a Cabinet-level position, has also departed. The post-midterm departures have extended below Cabinet level. Harmeet Dhillon formally resigned as assistant attorney general for civil rights on November 5, although Dhillon said the decision preceded the Republican defeat and was not requested by the White House.
Further departures could reshape the team responsible for confronting congressional investigations, managing economic discontent and rebuilding a Republican coalition fractured at the ballot box. Newsweek emailed the White House for further comment on Saturday morning outside of regular working hours. Republicans’ losses have forced an early reckoning inside the White House, where questions about personnel now sit alongside a more fundamental choice over political direction.
Wiles, who managed Trump’s successful 2024 campaign before becoming the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff, was associated with a comparatively disciplined operation. Miller, an architect of the administration’s hard-line immigration program, enters the role with a reputation for driving policy and embracing conflict. That contrast offers the clearest indication yet that Trump intends to respond to defeat by intensifying his agenda rather than moving toward the incoming Democratic majorities.
During an interview scheduled to air Sunday, 60 Minutes correspondent Ross Douthat asked Trump whether he expected to fire members of his team following the Republican losses. I think they’re good, but I’ll be doing maybe a few changes. I don’t want to mention who.” Hours after the preview clip was released, Wiles was out of the West Wing’s most powerful staff position.
Trump subsequently said he had “wanted to make a change,” adding that “sometimes in life, you have to make moves.” The timing immediately turned a general warning about turnover into a question hanging over every senior figure whose portfolio has attracted criticism. Hegseth appeared to receive protection when Douthat asked whether the president retained confidence in the Pentagon chief. It places Hegseth outside the immediate line of fire without resolving how long that protection will last as the administration assesses the causes of its electoral losses.
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