After the midterm elections which were carried out on Nov. 6, there are now expectations that Trump is going to make some changes in the White House and the cabinet. These changes are mostly related to Trump’s presidential campaign in 2020. After the Republicans lost their majority in the House of Representatives, it is expected that the presidential campaign in 2020 will be critical. Trump, who wants an administration harmonious with his instincts, wants the staff at the White House to be fully compatible with his new campaign base. Moreover, he wants the White House to be a part of his presidential campaign.
Chief of Staff John Kelly, whose ideas conflict with Trump and whose military background is more dominant, has already come to the end of the road. Kelly who was assigned from the Department of Homeland Security to the Office of Private Secretary in order to bring discipline to the White House often made the headlines with his conflicts with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and his daughter Ivanka Kushner. Kelly limited Trump’s senior advisors, the Jared-Ivanka couple, “to access sensitive information”. When Kelly wanted to limit the couple’s meetings with President Trump without informing them, it was the last straw.
Trump declared that Kelly will be leaving his office by the end of the year. It was claimed that Trump will appoint Nick Ayers in his position. Ayers was the Chief of Staff to Vice President of the U.S. Mike Pence’s, and he is known with his close relationship with Jared and Ivanka and Nikki Haley, who is going to leave her position as ambassador to the UN at the end of this year. It is said that Ayers stated that he could only accept this position for a short time, but Trump wanted him for at least for two years. Since Ayers could not accept this offer, Trump is now looking for someone else. At the top of the list, there are members of the House of Representatives such as Mick Mulvaney, Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin, a high degree lobbyist in Blackstone Wayne Berman and David Urban, who managed the campaign in Pennsylvania for Trump in 2016. Mark Meadows, another candidate, is the co-head of the “House Freedom Caucus” in the House of Representatives which about 30 Republicans are a member of. The House Freedom Caucasus, which constitutes the far-right wing of the Republican Party, is a group that often conflicts with mainstream Republicans in Congress.
Regarding Nikki Haley’s position for the UN ambassador, Trump is considering Secretary of State Spokeswoman Heather Nauert. Nauert used to work at Fox TV, known for its pro-Trump stance. The reason Trump chooses Nauert, who doesn’t have any diplomatic experience, is that she is a well-known TV figure. It is a fact that Trump prefers to work with names who appear on TV. Jared and Ivanka, as well as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, also support Nauert.
Trump temporarily appointed Matthew Whitaker to the position after Jeff Sessions left the Secretary of Justice. The Democrats in Congress, in turn, threatened that they will file a lawsuit against this appointment, which was not approved by the Senate. Last Friday, Trump wanted to solve the crisis by declaring the nomination of William Barr who was the Secretary of Justice in George H.W. Bush’s term, who passed away recently.
On the other hand, Kelly leaving the White House concerns two figures in Trump’s cabinet, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen. These two people are Kelly’s allies in the cabinet. Nielsen was Kelly’s private secretary when he was Secretary of Homeland Security. When Kelly was appointed to the White House, he brought Nielsen with him. Later, with Kelly’s support, Nielsen was brought to the position of Secretary of Homeland Security. It is known that Trump wants to replace Nielsen, whom he has chosen as a scapegoat to cover his unsuccessful immigration policy. For a long time, rumors that Trump is not happy with Mattis, Kelly, and Nielsen have been circulating. In short, Trump is discharging the “adults” who try to fetter his instincts.
