Trump loses 4 senior White House aides as midterms loom
Why it matters: The departures hit press, legal, national security and Capitol Hill roles as Republicans risk losing Congress in November.
President Donald Trump is entering a pivotal stretch of his second term after losing four senior White House aides in the past month, narrowing his inner circle ahead of the November midterm elections. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt plans to step down at the end of August, while legislative affairs director James Braid said he will leave in the coming weeks. Deputy national security adviser Andy Baker and White House counsel David Warrington have already departed, with existing officials taking over those jobs. The exits come as Trump faces low approval ratings, a weak economy and political fallout from the war in Iran, raising the stakes for staffing key posts tied to messaging, congressional outreach and foreign policy.