File photo: US President Donald Trump (Picture credit: AP)
US President Donald Trump is weighing a broader Cabinet reshuffle after attorney general Pam Bondi’s ouster this week, amid growing concern inside the White House over the political damage caused by the war with Iran.As per news agency Reuters, internal White House discussions have turned towards whether more senior officials should be replaced as Trump grows increasingly frustrated by rising fuel prices, falling approval ratings and growing Republican anxiety ahead of November’s midterm elections.The potential shake-up follows Bondi’s ouster this week and the earlier departure of homeland security secretary Kristi Noem last month. While no final decisions have been made, multiple senior officials are said to be under scrutiny.According to Reuters, the five-week-old war has created a politically difficult stretch for the administration, with gas prices climbing and Trump’s standing slipping. The report said some allies felt Trump’s televised address to the nation on Wednesday, described by one senior White House official as an effort to project control and confidence, “fell flat”, increasing pressure for changes in messaging or personnel.One White House official told Reuters, “A shake-up to show action is not a bad thing, is it?”
Gabbard and Lutnick among names under watch
Director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and commerce secretary Howard Lutnick are among those potentially at risk.As per Reuters, Trump has recently expressed displeasure with Gabbard, and one source with direct knowledge said he had asked allies for views on possible replacements for his intelligence chief. Gabbard, who has long criticised US military interventions abroad, reportedly irritated the White House last June when she released a video attacking “political elite warmongers” before Trump’s first military action against Iran.Lutnick is also facing renewed pressure. Some high-profile Trump allies are privately pushing for his removal. The report said new files released earlier this year showed Lutnick had lunch with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Epstein’s private Caribbean island in 2012. Lutnick has denied any serious connection, saying he “barely had anything to do with” Epstein and that the lunch only happened because he was on a boat near the island.According to news outlet Politico, Trump has grown frustrated with Lutnick and is considering changes involving him. One administration official said, “He’s very angry and he’s going to be moving people.”
Labor secretary also in firing frame
Labor secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is also being discussed as part of possible Cabinet changes.According to Politico, Trump’s review is focused on officials he believes have “underperformed or who have generated too much negative attention”. The report said no final decisions had been taken on Chavez-DeRemer or Lutnick, and noted Trump has previously considered firing aides before backing away.Removing Lutnick could allow Trump to signal economic accountability, with one administration official suggesting it would help the president “be able to say ‘I’m making changes on the economy.’”Chavez-DeRemer is also under added pressure because of an inspector general probe at the labor department. The investigation includes allegations that she drank alcohol while working, had an affair with a security officer, and that staff may have used official events to help facilitate personal travel. Chavez-DeRemer has denied wrongdoing and the White House has previously defended her.
White House publicly stands by key officials
Despite the speculation, the White House has publicly defended several of the officials named in the media reports.White House spokesman Davis Ingle said Trump retained “total confidence” in Gabbard and Lutnick. In an emailed statement cited by Reuters, Ingle said, “The President has assembled the most talented and impactful Cabinet ever, and they have collectively delivered historic victories on behalf of the American people, from director Gabbard’s role in ending the Maduro narcoterror regime to secretary Lutnick’s role securing major trade and investment deals.”A spokesperson for the office of the director of national intelligence also pointed to a White House X post quoting communications director Steve Cheung saying Trump has “total confidence” in Gabbard.White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said Chavez-DeRemer and Lutnick are “both doing a great job standing up for American workers, and they continue to have President Trump’s full support.”A separate White House official speaking to Politico on Lutnick’s behalf said, “Everyone is thrilled with the job Howard has done — on trade deals, pharmaceuticals, Japan, tariffs, all of it….He’s also taken a hard line on Canada from day one, which POTUS appreciates.”
Speech on Iran seen as a miss inside West Wing
Trump’s Wednesday night speech was intended to reassure voters after aides had urged him for weeks to address the nation directly on the US role in Iran.But the speech failed to deliver the political reset some in the White House had hoped for. Trump did not offer any clear path out of the war, which began on February 28, and instead left the impression the conflict could continue indefinitely. Rather than directly addressing economic worries, he said the pain would be temporary and blamed Tehran.“The speech did not accomplish what it was supposed to,” one White House official told Reuters, adding that while Trump’s core supporters still back him on the war, they are also feeling economic pressure.The same official said: “Voters tolerate ideological messaging, but they feel fuel prices immediately.”
Polls and midterms add urgency
The political backdrop appears to be driving the internal debate.Only 36% of Americans approve of Trump’s overall job performance in the latest Reuters/Ipsos survey, the lowest rating of his current term. It also said 60% of respondents disapproved of the US-Israeli decision to begin the war with Iran.Any wider Cabinet reset would be aimed at helping Republicans protect their grip on Washington in November. Some in Trump’s orbit believe now is the best time to make changes, especially with concern that Senate confirmations could become more difficult next year if Democrats make gains in the midterms.One person close to the White House told Politico that Trump is also thinking about the difficulty of confirming future executive appointments if Democrats improve their position after the elections.One senior White House source said Trump wants to make any major changes now, well ahead of the midterms.
Trump may choose limited changes, not a dramatic overhaul
Trump may ultimately decide against a sweeping shake-up.Several people close to the president said he remains wary of recreating the sense of chaos that marked his first term, when constant staffing changes often dominated headlines. One White House official described the likely approach as “targeted churn” rather than a “big, dramatic reset”.Still, some aides believe doing nothing could now be just as risky as making a high-profile move.One White House official summed up the mood bluntly, telling Reuters: “Let’s just say, based on what I have heard, Bondi is not the last one.”Meanwhile, discussions have already touched on who could fill the vacuum left by Bondi.Politico reported, citing a person close to the White House familiar with the talks, that Trump met Environmental Protection Agency chief Lee Zeldin on Tuesday to discuss last year’s California wildfires and the possibility of Zeldin stepping into Bondi’s former role.However, Trump has for now named Todd Blanche as acting attorney general, with one administration official describing Blanche as “the lead horse.”
