Get ready for a lot of Trump administration departures after the midterms
The team in the White House could look very different after the midterms.
The Trump administration is preparing for a fairly significant staff shake-up following Tuesday's elections, The Washington Post reports. The staffer most likely to depart appears to be Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who President Trump has publicly rebuked on many occasions and who some sources expect to be fired "in a humiliating fashion" as soon as this week. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling, is also a prime candidate to be fired; Trump had reportedly been warned to wait at least until after the midterms to give him the boot.
That's not all: Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen may leave on her own, as her relationship with Trump grows more strained, the Post reports, and the White House is already looking at replacements for her. Other possible departures include Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, although the latter two are expected to leave on their own rather than be fired. Chief of Staff John Kelly could also be on his way out, the Post reports, although noting that he has been asked to stay until 2020. Others in the administration are expected to leave their positions to join Trump's 2020 re-election campaign.
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While it's normal for an administration to see a handful of departures after a midterm election, Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told the Post that "the number of people resigning under pressure far exceeds that of any other administration."
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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