Trump Signals More Cabinet Changes After Midterm Defeat, Backs Hegseth as Susie Wiles Exits White Ho

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump indicated Friday, Nov. 6, that additional members of his administration could be replaced following Republicans’ sweeping midterm election losses, confirming plans for further personnel changes just hours before announcing that Stephen Miller would succeed Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff. The president declined to identify which officials could be affected but publicly defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose leadership has faced criticism over military operations and the ongoing conflict with Iran.

During an interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, recorded Friday morning at the White House, correspondent Ross Douthat asked Trump whether he expected to dismiss members of his administration after Democrats captured both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s elections. Trump acknowledged that changes were coming while expressing general satisfaction with his Cabinet. “I love my Cabinet,” the president said. “I think they’re good, but I’ll be doing maybe a few changes. I don’t want to mention who.” The comments were included in a preview of the interview released Friday, ahead of its scheduled broadcast Sunday, Nov. 8.

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Hours after the interview was recorded, Trump announced that Miller, his longtime adviser and deputy chief of staff, would assume the chief of staff position Monday, Nov. 9. Wiles, who managed Trump’s successful 2024 presidential campaign and became the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff, will transition to a position within the president’s political operation. In his announcement on Truth Social, Trump praised her performance and thanked her for her service, writing, “Susie Wiles, who has done an outstanding job, will be moving over to the Trump Political Operation. I want to thank her for her service as Chief of Staff — She has done a great job!”

Wiles submitted her resignation Thursday, according to CBS News’ reporting on the administration shake-up. Following Friday’s announcement, Trump told reporters that he wanted to make a leadership change and suggested that additional adjustments were part of managing his administration. Miller’s appointment places one of the president’s most influential immigration and domestic policy advisers in charge of coordinating White House operations as the administration prepares to work with Democratic congressional majorities beginning in January.

The president’s comments also raised questions about the future of Hegseth, who has faced mounting political pressure over the Pentagon’s leadership, military spending and the administration’s handling of the Iran war. During the 60 Minutes interview, Douthat asked whether Trump retained confidence in his defense secretary. “I do,” Trump responded, before defending the administration’s military operations in Venezuela and emphasizing what he characterized as successful American intervention.

“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… we won that war in less than one hour,” Trump said. His comments referred to the administration’s military campaign in Venezuela, which he has repeatedly cited as evidence of American military effectiveness. When Douthat asked whether Hegseth deserved credit for the operation, Trump said the defense secretary had participated but did not personally attribute the success to him.

The exchange, circulated in a social media clip of the interview, comes as Hegseth faces possible impeachment efforts when Congress returns from its election recess. Democratic lawmakers have announced plans for investigations into Pentagon operations, military spending and the conduct of the Iran conflict, while some Republicans have questioned the administration’s military decisions. Hegseth has rejected calls for his resignation and reaffirmed his commitment to the president’s defense agenda.

“Just like the president. We don’t back down. And that especially applies now,” Hegseth said in a video message posted Thursday. His remarks came as Trump publicly defended the defense secretary despite reports that the president had privately discussed Hegseth’s future with advisers. According to CBS News, Trump had asked members of his team whether the Pentagon chief should remain in office, although Friday’s interview indicated that he was not prepared to withdraw his support.

The prospect of further changes follows several other departures from the administration during 2026, including former Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. Trump has otherwise retained much of his senior leadership team during his second term, making Wiles’ departure particularly significant given her central role in managing White House operations and coordinating the president’s political strategy.

The personnel decisions come as Republicans assess the consequences of Tuesday’s elections, which delivered Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate and created new obstacles for the administration’s legislative priorities. Incoming Democratic committee leaders have pledged extensive oversight of federal agencies, including investigations involving immigration enforcement, military operations and government contracting. Although Trump retains authority over executive branch appointments and dismissals, replacing Cabinet secretaries could require additional Senate confirmation proceedings depending on the positions involved.

Trump’s complete interview with Douthat is scheduled to air Sunday at 7 p.m. Eastern on CBS and Paramount+. The discussion also covers the midterm election results, congressional investigations, the wars in Iran and Ukraine, and the economy. With Miller preparing to assume the chief of staff position and the president openly considering further adjustments, the administration faces additional leadership decisions as it approaches the final two years of Trump’s presidency under a divided federal government.