U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a broader cabinet shake-up amid growing frustration with political fallout from the war with Iran, according to multiple sources familiar with internal White House discussions.
Key Takeaways
U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a broader cabinet reshuffle amid growing frustration over political fallout from the war with Iran. The potential changes come as gas prices rise, approval ratings drop, and concerns grow about Republican prospects in November's midterm elections.
- Trump faces pressure to reset messaging after his televised speech was criticized for lacking impact.
- Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are reportedly on the chopping block.
- Gabbard is under scrutiny for shielding a former deputy who contradicted Trump's war rationale.
- Lutnick faces renewed criticism over his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
The potential reshuffling comes as Trump faces politically challenging circumstances: the five-week-old war has driven up gas prices, dragged down his approval ratings, and intensified anxiety about consequences for Republicans heading into November's midterm elections. Some allies criticized Trump's televised speech to the nation on Wednesday, describing it as an attempt to project control and confidence that fell flat.
According to Reuters and The Guardian, Trump has privately asked cabinet officials whether he should replace Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Sources reported that Trump is frustrated with Gabbard for shielding a former deputy who undercut his rationale for war with Iran. Fox News also noted that Gabbard may have earned Trump's ire by failing to condemn former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent after his abrupt exit from the administration last month.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is another potential target, according to Reuters and Fox News. Lutnick has faced renewed scrutiny for his relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including a lunch on Epstein's private island in 2012. Despite this, White House officials have insisted that Trump maintains 'total confidence' in both Gabbard and Lutnick.
Trump could ultimately decide not to make any changes to his administration’s senior ranks. Several others close to Trump have said the president is reluctant to overhaul his cabinet too frequently, after recurrent staffing changes during his first term dominated headlines and created the impression of chaos at the White House. One of the White House officials said to expect a “targeted churn”, rather than a “big, dramatic reset”.
Trump worked with his speechwriting team and top advisers on this week’s prime-time address, one official said, after aides had urged him for weeks to speak directly to the nation about the US role in Iran. During the speech, the president declined to lay out an off-ramp for the war, which began on February 28, leaving the impression that the conflict was open-ended.
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