Trump mulls more MAGA ousters in first sit-down interview since Republican midterms blowout

Trump mulls more MAGA ousters in first sit-down interview since Republican midterms blowout President Trump spoke to 60 Minutes Friday, shortly before replacing White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles with Stephen Miller - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in In his first sit-down interview since Republicans suffered a crushing defeat in the midterm elections, President Donald Trump said he was considering changes to his top staff. Speaking with 60 Minutes on Friday, Trump reflected on Tuesday’s elections, in which Democrats swept a string of GOP strongholds to regain control of both the House and the Senate. The interview, with correspondent Ross Douthat, was recorded shortly before Trump dismissed White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and replaced her with her deputy, Stephen Miller, the architect of the administration’s hardline immigration agenda. “In a previous lifetime, you were rather famous for saying ‘you’re fired’ quite often,” Douthat said, according to a teaser of the interview which is set to air Sunday. “After a big midterm defeat like this, do you expect to fire anyone?” “I do, a little bit,” Trump replied. “I love my cabinet. I think they’re good. But I’ll be doing maybe a few changes. I don’t want to mention who…” Douthat then mentioned that he had seen Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the building earlier that day, and noted that there have been calls for him to resign. “Do you have confidence in him?” he asked. “I do,” the 80-year-old president said. “Look, we’ve won two wars. We’ve won Venezuela and taken out billions and billions and billions of dollars already, and we will be taking out many billions of dollars and get along very well…We won that war in less than one hour. And nobody was killed.” “You credit Pete Hegseth for that?” the 60 Minutes correspondent asked. “No, but he was a part of it,” the president replied. Hegseth, who has played a central role in the Iran war, is under mounting pressure. Democrats have vowed to pursue his impeachment, some Republicans have questioned his leadership, and Trump has reportedly asked advisers whether to fire him. Staffing changes are not uncommon following bruising midterm elections. After the 2006 midterms, which saw Republicans suffer heavy losses amid opposition to the Iraq war, George W. Bush dismissed Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. After the Democratic Party's shellacking in 2010, Barack Obama replaced senior adviser David Axelrod. Trump made the first of what could be several changes later Friday. “I am pleased to announce that Mr. Stephen Miller, the current Deputy Chief of Staff of the Trump Administration, and one of my most trusted advisors, will become the Chief of Staff starting Monday, November 9, 2026,” the president wrote on Truth Social Friday. “Susie Wiles, who has done an outstanding job, will be moving over to the Trump Political Operation.” The president had grown frustrated with Wiles, whom he calls the “ice maiden,” and shouted at her in front of others on election night, The Wall Street Journal reported. Miller is seen as more polarizing and ideologically uncompromising. He spearheaded some of Trump’s most controversial policies, including the president’s mass deportation campaign and effort to end birthright citizenship. In an interview later Friday, Douthat said Trump had expressed a willingness to work with Democrats on immigration reform — a position seemingly at odds with his decision to elevate Miller. “There’s a slight tension between personnel choices and the president’s professed view of where he might make a deal with the Democratic Party,” he said. Asked whether Trump had named any other administration officials who could be fired, Douthat said: “He declined to be specific.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments