President Donald Trump is mulling over additional changes to his cabinet following this week’s dismissal of Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to five sources with knowledge of internal White House conversations. The potential personnel moves come as the administration faces mounting political pressure from the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The five-week conflict has contributed to rising fuel costs, declining presidential approval numbers, and growing concerns among Republican officials about upcoming November midterm elections. Administration officials view potential staff changes as a way to reset the White House’s approach during this challenging period.
Trump’s nationally televised address on Wednesday, which a senior administration official characterized as an effort to demonstrate leadership and confidence regarding the war’s progress, received lukewarm reviews and reinforced beliefs that messaging or staff adjustments might be necessary.
“A shake-up to show action is not a bad thing, is it?” one White House official commented.
Five sources, including three White House officials and two others familiar with administration operations, shared information with Reuters while requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of personnel discussions.
While no single cabinet member was definitively identified as facing immediate dismissal, multiple officials are reportedly at some level of risk, sources indicated.
Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are among those who could potentially face removal, according to several sources. This follows Trump’s recent dismissals of Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
One senior White House official revealed that Trump has recently expressed dissatisfaction with Gabbard’s performance. Additionally, another source with direct access to the situation reported that Trump has consulted with advisors about possible candidates to replace his intelligence director.
Meanwhile, some prominent Trump supporters are privately advocating for Lutnick’s removal. The Commerce Secretary, who maintains a close personal friendship with the president, has faced increased scrutiny regarding his past association with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Documents released earlier this year disclosed that Lutnick dined with Epstein at his private Caribbean island in 2012. Lutnick has stated he “barely had anything to do with” Epstein and explained the lunch occurred only because he was traveling on a boat near the island.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle stated that Trump maintains “total confidence” in both Gabbard and Lutnick.
“The President has assembled the most talented and impactful Cabinet ever, and they have collectively delivered historic victories on behalf of the American people, from Director Gabbard’s role in ending the Maduro narcoterror regime to Secretary Lutnick’s role securing major trade and investment deals,” Ingle wrote in response to inquiries.
A representative for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence directed Reuters to a Thursday social media post where White House communications director Steve Cheung was quoted confirming Trump’s “total confidence” in Gabbard.
The Commerce Department did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment.
However, Trump may ultimately choose not to implement any senior-level administrative changes. Several individuals close to the president have noted his hesitancy to frequently reorganize his cabinet, given that repeated staffing adjustments during his first presidency generated significant media attention and created perceptions of White House instability.
One White House official suggested expecting “targeted churn” rather than a “big, dramatic reset.”
Nevertheless, following Wednesday’s poorly received speech, maintaining the status quo could prove equally politically risky as implementing significant changes that would inevitably capture news headlines, one official observed.
Trump collaborated with his speechwriting staff and senior advisors on this week’s prime-time presentation, according to one official, after aides had spent weeks encouraging him to address the nation directly about America’s involvement in Iran.
During his remarks, the president avoided outlining an exit strategy for the war, which commenced on February 28, creating the impression of an indefinite conflict. Rather than addressing voters’ economic concerns with concrete solutions, he suggested the difficulties would be temporary and placed responsibility on Tehran.
“The speech did not accomplish what it was supposed to,” the official stated, noting that while Trump’s core supporters continue backing him on the war, they are experiencing widespread economic hardship.
“Voters tolerate ideological messaging, but they feel fuel prices immediately,” the official added.
According to the most recent Reuters/Ipsos polling, only 36% of Americans approve of Trump’s overall job performance, representing the lowest rating of his current term. The Iran conflict is especially unpopular, with 60% of survey respondents disapproving of the U.S.-Israeli decision to initiate the conflict.
Two White House officials reported that Trump is deeply frustrated with what he considers unfair media coverage of the Iran war and has clearly communicated to his staff his desire for more favorable news reports. However, he has not signaled interest in modifying his own communication approach.
Despite these pressures, several cabinet members have demonstrated notable resilience despite generating negative headlines or causing White House concern through their actions.
For example, some external allies have advocated for Lutnick’s dismissal since April of last year, when he introduced a series of global tariffs that confused allies and experts during “Liberation Day.”
Gabbard, who has long criticized U.S. military interventions overseas, angered the White House as early as last June when she released a video condemning “political elite warmongers” before Trump’s initial military action against Iran.
Despite this history, sources indicated that the likelihood of a shake-up has become significantly more serious in recent weeks. One senior White House source revealed that Trump prefers to implement any major changes now, well in advance of the midterm elections.
“Let’s just say, based on what I have heard, Bondi is not the last one,” another White House official commented.
