With two weeks to the midterms, many people around President Donald Trump expect a bruising result. They are already preparing for the fallout, and the tension inside the White House is showing.
A White House on Edge
Aides and allies told CNN they expect heavy Republican losses to bring major personnel changes. Trump, they say, will look for people to blame, while others may quit rather than serve out a weakened final stretch.
One ally called the mood harsher than in any modern White House. “You can’t trust anybody here,” the person said. Another adviser put it bluntly: if Republicans lose both chambers, “everyone is fair game.”
Several officials described a mix of power plays, leaks and early finger-pointing. Rival camps are now trying to work out who is leaking against whom.
Recent Shake-Ups
The strain has surfaced in public over the past two weeks.
- Trump removed Kimberly Guilfoyle as ambassador to Greece after reports that she asked a Republican donor for $100,000 to clear a credit card debt.
- He told his White House counsel to look into a dispute between Alina Habba Mildon and Ric Grenell over claims that millions of dollars meant for the Kennedy Center were misallocated, a source said.
- He fired new press secretary Katie Zacharia after five days, following several missteps and heavy criticism, even from allies.
Questions Over Wiles and Her Circle
Chief of staff Susie Wiles and outside advisers James Blair and Chris LaCivita have faced critical coverage. Their defenders say rivals are pushing the stories to win Trump’s favour. “A knife to James or Chris is meant for Susie,” one source said.
Scrutiny of Wiles grew after she was absent when Trump offered Zacharia the job. Some saw it as a sign her grip was slipping. There was also talk she might leave, given her long illness and the two-year mark when many top aides move on.
Wiles has signalled no plans to go. Trump said there was “zero chance” he would replace her, and a senior official said she is staying. Blair has also flown twice with Trump on Air Force One in the past week.
Cabinet and Agency Worries
Some Cabinet members may leave rather than face months of probes from a Democratic-led Congress. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is seen as an early target, though Trump has backed him. The Pentagon said he is not focused on “fake news or DC noise.”
Some officials think Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who is handling economic damage from the war with Iran, could leave for a better-paid energy job. The Energy Department denied this. NIH director Jay Bhattacharya’s allies fear he could be fired after clashing with budget chief Russ Vought over grant spending. The NIH declined to comment.
The Outlook for November 3
Trump has not signalled any post-election changes, and he believes his campaign travel is helping. Many aides are less hopeful. They think the House is probably lost and that the aim now is to limit the damage. They still see a path to keeping the Senate, but weak campaigns and voter anger have made it harder.
Trump privately admits the political climate is poor, people who have spoken with him said. On Tuesday, he argued that presidents usually lose midterms, and that a strong MAGA turnout could still deliver a landslide.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle called talk of internal strife “baseless speculation” and said Trump is focused on holding the majorities.
