On Wednesday, April 22, US Secretary of the Navy John Phelan abruptly resigned. His position currently remains vacant during the war. As more people leave Trump, concerns are growing in the Republican Party about the political direction in which the party is heading.
According to Republicans interviewed by POLITICO journalists, there is talk of further layoffs in President Trump's administration. However, mass departures may pose a significant problem for Trump.
Republican lawmakers warn that approving successors for struggling Donald Trump officials could prove complicated.
Republicans in the Senate are already trying to come to terms with the increasingly short time to create legislation before the November midterm elections. There is growing concern within the Republican Party that the mere four-seat Republican majority may be at risk.
“The number of business days is very limited,” Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said in an interview. “Just count the days [do wyborów uzupełniających w listopadzie]. It's a very tight schedule.”
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Tillis is among a group of Republican senators who believe that Trump should make further changes to his immediate environment as soon as possible to give the Senate maximum flexibility in confirming successors.They fear that delaying could mean significant delays in confirming nominations or more problems if Democrats regain the majority.
Another GOP senator, who was granted anonymity so he could speak candidly, said any personnel changes were ultimately up to Trump but “it would make sense to do them now.”
“As the election approaches… you never know what's going to happen with the Senate,” the senator said.
More layoffs are possible in the Trump administration
No Republican senator who spoke to POLITICO openly singled out a specific Cabinet member as a possible candidate to leave. But three of them privately named Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as the person the president will probably remove it.
Howard LutnickNathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images / Contributor / Getty Images
A fourth questioned how long Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, would remain in her job, given her differences with the president on recent issues such as the war with Iran and soon-to-expire surveillance powers. But many Republicans believe she has powerful allies in the White House and outside the administration.
FBI Director Kash Patel also recently came under scrutiny after The Atlantic magazine published allegations of drinking and erratic behavior, which he denied and resulted in a defamation lawsuit. Two GOP senators, who were granted anonymity so they could speak candidly, said they believed Patel was being targeted.
“He's in a bad mood, so he's firing a lot of people,” one of the four senators said of Trump. “He's getting ready to fire a lot of them [urzędników].” The senator added that changes should come sooner rather than later, saying: “We don't have much time [na zatwierdzenie następców przed wyborami]”.
The White House defended Trump's personnel choices in a statement issued on Wednesday, April 22. “The president has assembled a world-class Cabinet that tirelessly advances the president's agenda and achieves tremendous results for the American people,” spokesman Davis Ingle said. “They will continue to fulfill the many promises that President Trump was elected for. The White House appreciates their service to this country.”
“We have our hands full, so confirming new people will take some time,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
