"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-08-15T19:53:10Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/08/15/trump-firing-resignations-removals-orig-bw.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="trump firing resignations removals orig bw"
data-first-publish-slug="trump firing resignations removals orig bw"
data-video-tags="donald trump,federal bureau of investigation,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,political figures - us,us department of justice,us federal departments and agencies,us federal government,white house,international relations and national security,national security"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-09-12T04:05:24Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/09/12/ambassador-resigns-dissatisfaction-with-trump-administration-osius-sot-ctn-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="ambassador resigns dissatisfaction with trump administration osius sot ctn vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="ambassador resigns dissatisfaction with trump administration osius sot ctn vpx"
data-video-tags="asia,continents and regions,deportation,donald trump,embassies and consulates,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,government departments and authorities,immigration, citizenship and displacement,international relations,international relations and national security,political figures - us,refugees,resignations,southeast asia,state departments and diplomatic services,us federal government,vietnam,white house"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-06-19T21:08:09Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/06/19/joe-hagin-white-house-leaving-deputy-chief-of-staff-operations-lead-sot-zeleny.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="joe hagin white house leaving deputy chief of staff operations lead sot zeleny"
data-first-publish-slug="joe hagin white house leaving deputy chief of staff operations lead sot zeleny"
data-video-tags="asia,donald trump,east asia,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,joe hagin,kim jong un,north korea,north korea nuclear development,political figures - intl,political figures - us,us federal government,us-north korea summit,white house"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-04-10T14:39:24Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/04/10/tom-bossert-resigns-homeland-security-adviser-nr.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="tom bossert resigns homeland security adviser nr"
data-first-publish-slug="tom bossert resigns homeland security adviser nr"
data-video-tags="donald trump,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,international relations and national security,kaitlan collins,national security,political figures - us,resignations,tom bossert,us department of homeland security,us federal departments and agencies,us federal government,white house,accidents, disasters and safety,home security and safety,safety issues and practices,john bolton"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-03-22T22:47:45Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/03/22/hr-mcmaster-replaced-john-bolton-zeleny-sitroom.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="HR McMaster replaced John Bolton zeleny sitroom"
data-first-publish-slug="HR McMaster replaced John Bolton zeleny sitroom"
data-video-tags="21st century fox,companies,donald trump,embassies and consulates,fox news,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,h r mcmaster,international relations,international relations and national security,john bolton,national security,political figures - us,state departments and diplomatic services,united nations,us federal government,white house,twitter"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-03-17T11:32:38Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/03/17/trump-andrew-mccabe-firing-twitter-phillip-newday.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Trump Andrew McCabe firing Twitter phillip newday"
data-first-publish-slug="Trump Andrew McCabe firing Twitter phillip newday"
data-video-tags="andrew mccabe,companies,donald trump,employment and income status,federal bureau of investigation,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,jeff sessions,labor and employment,political figures - us,retirement and retirees,social and economic status,society,sports and recreation,tennis,twitter,us department of justice,us federal departments and agencies,us federal government,workers and professionals"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-03-13T18:31:05Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/03/13/rex-tillerson-statement-after-firing.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="rex tillerson statement after firing"
data-first-publish-slug="rex tillerson statement after firing"
data-video-tags="business figures,donald trump,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,political figures - us,rex tillerson,us federal government,white house,international relations,international relations and national security,state departments and diplomatic services"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-04-23T15:50:07Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/04/23/trump-white-house-communications-director-cillizza-orig-bw.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="trump white house communications director cillizza orig bw"
data-first-publish-slug="trump white house communications director cillizza orig bw"
data-video-tags="chris cillizza,donald trump,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,political figures - us,us federal government,white house,misc people,politics"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-03-06T22:46:36Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/03/06/gary-cohn-to-resign-trump-top-economic-adviser-nyt-tsr.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="gary cohn to resign trump top economic adviser nyt tsr"
data-first-publish-slug="gary cohn to resign trump top economic adviser nyt tsr"
data-video-tags="business figures,donald trump,gary cohn,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,political figures - us,resignations,us federal government,white house,companies,new york times co"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-02-10T07:44:53Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/02/10/second-white-house-aide-resigns-abuse-accusations.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="second white house aide resigns abuse accusations"
data-first-publish-slug="second white house aide resigns abuse accusations"
data-video-tags="crime, law enforcement and corrections,crimes against persons,criminal offenses,domestic violence,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,resignations,society,us federal government,violence in society,white house"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-02-09T22:42:06Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/02/09/rachel-brand-doj-official-resigns-nyt-beeper-bts-tsr.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="rachel brand doj official resigns nyt beeper bts tsr"
data-first-publish-slug="rachel brand doj official resigns nyt beeper bts tsr"
data-video-tags="companies,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,justice departments,new york times co,resignations,us department of justice,us federal departments and agencies,us federal government"
data-details="">
He’s the 2nd top Trump White House official to either resign or be fired in the past week – following in the ignominious footsteps of top Trump economic adviser Gary Cohn. And Cohn’s departure followed hard on the resignations of White House communications director Hope Hicks and Josh Raffel, a confidante of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. Plus, Trump body man John McEntee was fired on Monday due to ongoing security clearance issues. And so was Steve Goldstein, the Under Secretary of Public Affairs at the State Department, who out out a statement Tuesday morning saying Tillerson was unaware of the reason he had been fired.
The prevailing question now is: Who’s next?
Tweeted New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman: “People close to the White House say they expect more major personnel shifts this week. An effort to rip off the bandaid fast on a number of fronts is likely.”
There’s any number of options, given that Trump has actively feuded with lots of his Cabinet since hand-picking them just over a year ago. Below, I’ve ranked a variety of embattled Trump Cabinet members based on their likelihood to be given the Rex treatment – aka fired via Twitter.
1. Jeff Sessions: Trump has publicly attack the attorney general repeatedly – calling him, among other things, “beleaguered” and “DISGRACEFUL.” He has told not one but two news organizations that he would not have appointed Sessions as AG if he knew Sessions would recuse himself in the Russia investigation. He refers to Sessions as “Mr. Magoo” in private settings, according to the Washington Post. I mean….
4. H.R. McMaster: Rumors of tension between the National Security Adviser and Trump have been rampant for months. There’s even been chatter about how to move McMaster back into the military in order to get him out of the White House. With Trump jettisoning Tillerson, might he move on another member of the more globally-minded wing of his foreign policy team?
7. Ben Carson: The Housing and Urban Development secretary purchased – and then canceled – a $31,000 dining set for his work office. Why isn’t he higher on this list? Because Trump likes him – and the two went through the political wars together in 2016. I think that counts for something – maybe a lot – in Trump’s book.
8. John Kelly: Reports are rampant that Kelly and Trump have fallen out, and that, as importantly, the White House chief of staff is in semi-open warfare with Javanka. Kelly’s ham-handed handling of the Rob Porter debacle and the resultant news coverage clearly knocked him down several pegs in Trump’s eyes. And, Kelly was reportedly part of a “suicide pact” with Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis – that if one left or was fired, they would all leave. Working against the idea of Kelly being fired: Trump loves “his” generals.
9. Betsy DeVos: The Education secretary has had a very rocky road. This weekend was the bumpiest bit yet as DeVos seemed totally out of her depth in an interview with “60 Minutes” Lesley Stahl. Trump hates negative headlines that he doesn’t cause. But, it seems like he has more urgent firing priorities than DeVos.
10. Jim Mattis: The “Mad Dog” is only on this list because of the aforementioned “suicide pact” with Tillerson and Kelly. That aside, he appears to be the Cabinet secretary who has clashed the least – or the least publicly – with Trump.