′You′re fired′ — Trump administration casualties | All media content | DW | 06.07.2018

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'You're fired' — Trump administration casualties

US President Donald Trump is shedding top-level White House employees faster than you can say "covfefe." Here's an overview of the main dismissals and resignations so far.

  • Marc Short (picture alliance/AP Photo/M. Balce Ceneta)

    Marc Short

    The White House director of legislative affairs announced he will leave his post effective July 20. Short, one of the administration's longest-serving members, was also one of its most visible, pushing Trump's legislative agenda on TV. His work, however, was frequently undercut by the POTUS, who complained about deals the team had negotiated, preferring instead to go it alone without them.

  • Scott Pruitt (picture alliance/AP Photo/C. Kaster)

    Scott Pruitt

    It remained a mystery to many how Pruitt could hang on for so long, but the president seemed to like him. Many on the left cringed at his every move as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. He was also embroiled in various ethics scandals. Nevertheless, Trump took to Twitter to thank Pruitt for doing an "outstanding job" at the EPA.

  • Ty Cobb (picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. Cleveland)

    Ty Cobb

    One of Trump's top lawyers in the ongoing special counsel investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election, Cobb said he simply wanted to retire. But many believe he was forced out by Trump and others in his legal team for his lack of aggression in Robert Mueller's Russia probe. Cobb was said to have been increasing uneasy about Trump's Twitter attacks on Mueller.

  • Tom Bossert (picture alliance/dpa/A. Harnik)

    Tom Bossert

    White House Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert, who had worked for George W. Bush, was reportedly pushed out of his post in the shake up that occurred after John Bolton replaced H.R. McMaster as national security adviser. It is said that Bolton had no issues with Bossert, but that he wanted his own team in place. The White House thanked him for his "patriotic service" and wished him well.

  • David Shulkin (Getty Images/AFP/D. Reuter)

    David Shulkin

    Though the White House said Shulkin resigned, he says he was fired. A holdover from the Obama administration, he was appointed to run the Department of Veteran's Affairs by Trump. His downfall came amid a travel expense scandal involving his wife. He criticized the atmosphere in the administration as, "toxic, chaotic, disrespectful and subversive," claiming he was the victim of political intrigue.

  • H.R. McMaster (Imago/photothek/F. Gaertner)

    H.R. McMaster

    In a tweet on March 22, US President Trump announced he was replacing H.R. McMaster with John Bolton as his national security adviser. A respected general, McMaster said he would retire from the US army and public service. McMaster's departure was not a complete surprise, as he and Trump are reported to have had conflicting views on a number of US policies.

  • Rex Tillerson, former Secretaty of State (picture-alliance/dpa/J. Ernst)

    Rex Tillerson

    A former Exxon executive, Tillerson had served as secretary of state for a little over a year. Donald Trump ousted Tillerson in order to form a "new team" ahead of talks with North Korea, adding that he and Tillerson "disagreed on things." The relationship between them is said to have deteriorated after Tillerson reportedly called Trump a "moron" in October 2017.

  • New York Gary Cohn Goldman Sachs (Getty Images/D. Angerer)

    Gary Cohn

    A Goldman Sachs veteran, Gary Cohn served as Donald Trump's top economic adviser at the head of the National Economic Council. He helped push through controversial tax reforms in 2017. However, Cohn stepped down in March 2018 after failing to persuade Trump to give up his idea of imposing tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

  • Hope Hicks (Reuters/L. Millis)

    Hope Hicks

    Hope Hicks resigned from her post as the White House Communications Director in late February 2018. A day before resigning, she testified before US lawmakers on Russian interference. She admitted to telling "white lies" for Donald Trump, but not related to Russia. The White House insisted her resignation was not linked to the testimony. The 29-year-old was among Trump's closest aides.

  • US Rob Porter in the Oval Office (Getty Images/AFP/N. Kamm)

    Rob Porter

    The White House staff secretary handed in his resignation after his ex-wives accused him of domestic abuse. Despite resigning, Rob Porter denied the allegations as "simply false." Trump initially defended Porter, and the US media questioned how Porter passed his background check for the job. Recently, reports surfaced of a romance between Porter and Trump's longtime aide Hope Hicks.

  • Stephen Bannon

    Stephen Bannon

    He played a key role in getting Donald Trump into the White House, but even chief strategist Stephen Bannon was ousted within a year. Bannon was a champion of economic nationalism and Trump's "America First" strategy. After the fallout of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville mid-August, Bannon agreed to leave the administration.

  • White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci speaks to members of the media at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 25, 2017 (picture-alliance/AP Photo/P. Martinez Monsivais)

    Anthony Scaramucci

    The 53-year-old former hedge fund investor nicknamed the "Mooch" was communications director for just 10 days. The colorful New Yorker filled a dream role that had been vacant for months, but was forced out on the same day that straight-shooting former Marine Corps general John Kelly became chief of staff. Trump was displeased with his infamous expletive-laden rant against other senior staff.

  • USA Walter M. Shaub Jr., U.S. Office of Government Ethics (picture-alliance/AP Photo/J.S. Applewhite)

    Walter M. Shaub Jr.

    Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics, resigned in July 2017 after clashing with the White House over Trump's complicated financial holdings. Shaub reportedly called Trump's administration a "laughing stock."

  • USA Reince Priebus neuer Stabchef im Weißen Haus (Reuters/M. Segar)

    Reince Priebus

    Reince Priebus, the former White House chief-of-staff, was forced out just six months into his tenure after a public feud with Anthony Scaramucci, the White House communications director. Priebus was reportedly among those West Wing staffers who opposed the hire of Scaramucci.

  • Sean Spicer tritt zurück USA (Reuters/K.Lamarque)

    Sean Spicer

    Sean Spicer, who had a fraught relationship with the president and the press, resigned after telling Trump he vehemently disagreed with the selection of Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director.

  • USA Michael Dubke, Kommunikationsdirektor Weißes Haus (picture-alliance/AP Photo/S. Walsh)

    Michael Dubke

    Michael Dubke, the former White House communications director, was asked to leave in May 2017 over what was perceived as his poor handling of the allegations about Russian involvement in the US election.

  • James Comey (picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. S. Applewhite)

    James Comey

    US President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey — allegedly over how he handled the Clinton emails investigation. Critics, however, believe the FBI's probe into Trump's campaign ties with Russia was the real reason.

  • USA Michael Flynn beim Briefing im Weißen Haus in Washington (Reuters/C. Barria)

    Michael Flynn

    Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, resigned in February 2017 after revelations that he had discussed US sanctions on Russia with the Russian ambassador to the US before Trump took office, and then misled Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations.


  • Marc Short (picture alliance/AP Photo/M. Balce Ceneta)

    Marc Short

    The White House director of legislative affairs announced he will leave his post effective July 20. Short, one of the administration's longest-serving members, was also one of its most visible, pushing Trump's legislative agenda on TV. His work, however, was frequently undercut by the POTUS, who complained about deals the team had negotiated, preferring instead to go it alone without them.

  • Scott Pruitt (picture alliance/AP Photo/C. Kaster)

    Scott Pruitt

    It remained a mystery to many how Pruitt could hang on for so long, but the president seemed to like him. Many on the left cringed at his every move as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. He was also embroiled in various ethics scandals. Nevertheless, Trump took to Twitter to thank Pruitt for doing an "outstanding job" at the EPA.

  • Ty Cobb (picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. Cleveland)

    Ty Cobb

    One of Trump's top lawyers in the ongoing special counsel investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election, Cobb said he simply wanted to retire. But many believe he was forced out by Trump and others in his legal team for his lack of aggression in Robert Mueller's Russia probe. Cobb was said to have been increasing uneasy about Trump's Twitter attacks on Mueller.

  • Tom Bossert (picture alliance/dpa/A. Harnik)

    Tom Bossert

    White House Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert, who had worked for George W. Bush, was reportedly pushed out of his post in the shake up that occurred after John Bolton replaced H.R. McMaster as national security adviser. It is said that Bolton had no issues with Bossert, but that he wanted his own team in place. The White House thanked him for his "patriotic service" and wished him well.

  • David Shulkin (Getty Images/AFP/D. Reuter)

    David Shulkin

    Though the White House said Shulkin resigned, he says he was fired. A holdover from the Obama administration, he was appointed to run the Department of Veteran's Affairs by Trump. His downfall came amid a travel expense scandal involving his wife. He criticized the atmosphere in the administration as, "toxic, chaotic, disrespectful and subversive," claiming he was the victim of political intrigue.

  • H.R. McMaster (Imago/photothek/F. Gaertner)

    H.R. McMaster

    In a tweet on March 22, US President Trump announced he was replacing H.R. McMaster with John Bolton as his national security adviser. A respected general, McMaster said he would retire from the US army and public service. McMaster's departure was not a complete surprise, as he and Trump are reported to have had conflicting views on a number of US policies.

  • Rex Tillerson, former Secretaty of State (picture-alliance/dpa/J. Ernst)

    Rex Tillerson

    A former Exxon executive, Tillerson had served as secretary of state for a little over a year. Donald Trump ousted Tillerson in order to form a "new team" ahead of talks with North Korea, adding that he and Tillerson "disagreed on things." The relationship between them is said to have deteriorated after Tillerson reportedly called Trump a "moron" in October 2017.

  • New York Gary Cohn Goldman Sachs (Getty Images/D. Angerer)

    Gary Cohn

    A Goldman Sachs veteran, Gary Cohn served as Donald Trump's top economic adviser at the head of the National Economic Council. He helped push through controversial tax reforms in 2017. However, Cohn stepped down in March 2018 after failing to persuade Trump to give up his idea of imposing tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

  • Hope Hicks (Reuters/L. Millis)

    Hope Hicks

    Hope Hicks resigned from her post as the White House Communications Director in late February 2018. A day before resigning, she testified before US lawmakers on Russian interference. She admitted to telling "white lies" for Donald Trump, but not related to Russia. The White House insisted her resignation was not linked to the testimony. The 29-year-old was among Trump's closest aides.

  • US Rob Porter in the Oval Office (Getty Images/AFP/N. Kamm)

    Rob Porter

    The White House staff secretary handed in his resignation after his ex-wives accused him of domestic abuse. Despite resigning, Rob Porter denied the allegations as "simply false." Trump initially defended Porter, and the US media questioned how Porter passed his background check for the job. Recently, reports surfaced of a romance between Porter and Trump's longtime aide Hope Hicks.

  • Stephen Bannon

    Stephen Bannon

    He played a key role in getting Donald Trump into the White House, but even chief strategist Stephen Bannon was ousted within a year. Bannon was a champion of economic nationalism and Trump's "America First" strategy. After the fallout of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville mid-August, Bannon agreed to leave the administration.

  • White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci speaks to members of the media at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 25, 2017 (picture-alliance/AP Photo/P. Martinez Monsivais)

    Anthony Scaramucci

    The 53-year-old former hedge fund investor nicknamed the "Mooch" was communications director for just 10 days. The colorful New Yorker filled a dream role that had been vacant for months, but was forced out on the same day that straight-shooting former Marine Corps general John Kelly became chief of staff. Trump was displeased with his infamous expletive-laden rant against other senior staff.

  • USA Walter M. Shaub Jr., U.S. Office of Government Ethics (picture-alliance/AP Photo/J.S. Applewhite)

    Walter M. Shaub Jr.

    Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics, resigned in July 2017 after clashing with the White House over Trump's complicated financial holdings. Shaub reportedly called Trump's administration a "laughing stock."

  • USA Reince Priebus neuer Stabchef im Weißen Haus (Reuters/M. Segar)

    Reince Priebus

    Reince Priebus, the former White House chief-of-staff, was forced out just six months into his tenure after a public feud with Anthony Scaramucci, the White House communications director. Priebus was reportedly among those West Wing staffers who opposed the hire of Scaramucci.

  • Sean Spicer tritt zurück USA (Reuters/K.Lamarque)

    Sean Spicer

    Sean Spicer, who had a fraught relationship with the president and the press, resigned after telling Trump he vehemently disagreed with the selection of Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director.

  • USA Michael Dubke, Kommunikationsdirektor Weißes Haus (picture-alliance/AP Photo/S. Walsh)

    Michael Dubke

    Michael Dubke, the former White House communications director, was asked to leave in May 2017 over what was perceived as his poor handling of the allegations about Russian involvement in the US election.

  • James Comey (picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. S. Applewhite)

    James Comey

    US President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey — allegedly over how he handled the Clinton emails investigation. Critics, however, believe the FBI's probe into Trump's campaign ties with Russia was the real reason.

  • USA Michael Flynn beim Briefing im Weißen Haus in Washington (Reuters/C. Barria)

    Michael Flynn

    Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, resigned in February 2017 after revelations that he had discussed US sanctions on Russia with the Russian ambassador to the US before Trump took office, and then misled Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations.


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