The White House is preparing for possible changes in President Donald Trump’s Cabinet as he reaches the one-year mark of his second term, CNN reported.
Although his team has stayed mostly stable so far, officials say some agencies could see new leadership.
One department that may see a change is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and another is the Department of Energy, led by Chris Wright.
According to CNN, Wright’s relationship with the White House has weakened in recent months.
People familiar with the situation told CNN that Wright has recently fallen out of favour with the White House.
Some officials have complained privately that he has been slow to carry out some of Trump’s campaign promises and that his leadership has led to high turnover in top Energy Department jobs.
Even so, officials said no decisions have been made and that the Cabinet is expected to stay the same at least through early next year.
Trump’s history with cabinet changes
Trump returned to office in January for his second term. In his first administration, he had several major Cabinet departures after disagreements or policy conflicts.
According to CNN, Trump is pleased with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
“The President loves Kristi. He loves the job she’s doing,” one senior White House official told CNN, rejecting the idea that she might be removed. But behind the scenes, some top White House officials are frustrated with her adviser, Corey Lewandowski. He is a long-time ally of Noem and was brought in as a temporary special government employee at DHS.
Because Noem and Lewandowski have a long history together and run the department closely, some have wondered whether both might leave at the same time, which would open the top DHS job.
Lewandowski, who was a key figure in Trump’s 2016 campaign, has taken on significant influence at DHS, which has created tensions with some senior officials.
Defense and intelligence leadership discussions
Earlier this year, Trump’s team discussed replacing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after he accidentally shared sensitive information on a Signal group chat that included a reporter.
Trump was also frustrated over the summer with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, mainly because of her position on Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Both Hegseth and Gabbard are still in their roles, but pressure to replace Hegseth could return when the Pentagon’s watchdog releases its report on the Signal incident.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who leaves office in January due to term limits, may be considered for any Cabinet openings. Trump has spoken well of Youngkin, though the two have not discussed any specific job.
Youngkin is thinking about his future options, according to allies. He visited Iowa and South Carolina this summer, states important in Republican presidential primaries, to stay connected with party activists and keep his political possibilities open.