Could Trump lose more top aides? Mass exodus looms as 'most' White House staff want out

Several White House staffers are reportedly planning to quit in the coming months as tension grows inside Donald Trump's administration.

Donald Trump’s White House is facing fresh pressure as more staffers reportedly consider leaving. With several aides already gone and Karoline Leavitt’s exit approaching, questions are growing about what the staff shake-up could mean for the administration.

White House staffers are reportedly planning to leave amid rising tension in the Trump administration. (REUTERS)

Trump White House faces growing staff tensions

The mood inside the White House has reportedly worsened, with many staffers considering leaving soon. This comes as Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is expected to leave.

New York Times correspondent Maggie Haberman, who co-authored a recent book on Trump, told MS Now on Thursday, "He is not in a great place with his staff, according to everyone we talked to." She added, "He is lashing out a lot, which tends to happen when things are not going well."

Haberman also said, "Most people have decided that they want to go do something else."

White House spokesman Davis Ingle responded to the comments in a statement to The Independent, saying, “Maggie Haberman of the Failing New York Times constantly speaks like she's a Trump psychologist when in reality she just has a creepy obsession with the President and clings onto him for relevance. It's been very sad to watch for years.”

Nearly a dozen staffers have already left

Trump’s inner circle could get even smaller as the White House prepares for more staffers to leave, according to Bloomberg News.

Trump has already lost several top advisers in recent weeks, and more senior officials are reportedly considering leaving in the coming months. It is common for White House staffers to leave their jobs ahead of midterm elections, but some departures, including Karoline Leavitt’s, reportedly surprised staff members.

Leavitt is expected to remain in Trumpworld, but her departure from the White House is being seen as a major loss for Trump’s communication strategy because she was one of his most visible supporters.

James Braid, the White House director of legislative affairs and a longtime Trump aide, also announced earlier this month that he would leave in the next few weeks.

Nearly a dozen staffers have left the White House in recent weeks. They include Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson, Deputy National Security Adviser Andy Baker, Special Assistant to the President Lea Bardon, Director of Cabinet Affairs Emily Underwood, an adviser to Stephen Miller, and Director of Media Affairs Sonny Joy Nelson.

The staff changes come as Trump is already facing several challenges, including his failing war in Iran and problems at home. His trade war with Canada is also expected to push prices higher. His approval rating has reached a historic low.

The 2026 midterm elections are also expected to be difficult for Republicans. Democrats are projected to win back control of the House and could also take control of the Senate. If that happens, the Trump administration could face subpoenas and investigations on Capitol Hill.

"This also is, without question, the hardest time to hire into an administration," Lisa Camooso Miller, a former Republican National Committee communications director, told Bloomberg.

She added, “The real question is, who's going to fill these roles? Will they be the right people, and will they be people that the president listens to? It's not so much about the vacancies, but who's willing to go into the second two years of an administration that largely will face headwinds with a change in Congress.”

Other tensions inside the White House

There have also been reports of grumbling inside the White House about aide Natalie Harp, known for her intense devotion to the president. Haberman told CNN last week, "She is not beloved by a lot of her colleagues."

Trump reportedly confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Camp David over a shortage of US weapons linked to the Iran war. Two people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post that Trump felt he had been misled about the falling weapons stockpile. He said he thought the issue “had been fixed.” The report led Trump to lash out on social media at what he called "treasonous" leakers.

On Truth Social, Trump wrote about the "100 percent fake" news story, “Defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country's history. The 'leakers' of these treasonous statements are being hunted down. Long term jail sentences will be sought!”