Trump Suggests Decimating NIH to Give Military Even More Money
Others risk being fired from their jobs altogether. Among those Trump has expressed frustration with are Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, both of whom could lose their jobs “imminently,” according to three people “with knowledge” of the president’s thinking, who confirmed the rumors to Politico.
No final decisions have yet been made regarding Lutnick or Chavez-DeRemer, and it is unclear who will replace them. Publicly, the White House has emphasized its confidence in Trump’s appointees, writing in a statement that Lutnick and Chavez-DeRemer “are doing an excellent job defending American workers and continue to have the full support of President Trump.”
But the officials surrounding the White House have very different opinions when allowed to speak frankly. A senior administration official told Politico that Lutnick was on “thin ice,” while pointing out that Trump had previously considered firing him and backed out. Lutnick would give Trump the opportunity to say, “I’m making changes to the economy,” according to one official — a message that could be extremely valuable to Republicans heading into a particularly contentious midterm season.
