Trump Reportedly Weighs Replacing Chief of Staff Susie Wiles
President Donald Trump has been asking friends and allies about replacing Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Politico Playbook reported Thursday. Four people with direct knowledge of the conversations described the calls.
- 5 possible successors named: Miller, Levine, Witkoff, Pulte and McCarthy.
- $35,000 a month: firm with Wiles' daughter signed Republika Srpska contract.
- Trump reportedly bristled at Srpska work by Wiles allies Blair and LaCivita.
- Katie Wiles' firm says she did not lobby U.S. officials.
Why it matters: The calls reportedly picked up as Trump voiced private frustration with his poll numbers before the midterms. Wiles' rivals have been forwarding him negative coverage of her circle, Playbook reported.
- Allies pitch McCarthy as able to work with a possible Democratic Congress.
- About 56% of Trump's original senior team had left by September, per Brookings.
How 14 sources split on this story
Where they split: Anonymous sources say Trump is seriously weighing a replacement, while Trump and the White House say the report is false and the team is united.
Center coverage, 2 sources: The center frames it as a sourced Politico report set against Trump's flat public denial.
Left coverage, 8 sources: The left sees a White House under strain, with Wiles' standing slipping amid consulting controversies and staff turnover.
Right coverage, 4 sources: The right treats it as unconfirmed speculation, stressing Trump's denial and profiling possible successors.
What’s next: Trump called the story fake and said Wiles has his "COMPLETE confidence." Spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said the anonymous sources "know nothing."
- Newsweek reports betting markets increasingly price in a Wiles exit by year's end.
- Is Trump's outreach a real search or routine venting before the midterms?
- Will midterm results trigger a broader staff shake-up?
