The Trump administration has already fired Attorney General General , Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and US Army Chief of Staff , but these could just be the tick of the iceberg, with reports suggesting that more sackings, including that of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) chief Kash Patel, could be on the cards.
According to a report by The Atlantic, which cited several people familiar with the White House’s plans, discussions are underway about several top officials leaving the Trump administration, including FBI chief Patel, Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
The report, said that the timing of the expected departures was uncertain as “President Trump had not yet made up his mind”. That said, it noted that the discussions marked a departure from Trump’s earlier unwillingness to touch any of his top aides.
For the past few months, there had been an edict barring the removal of any Cabinet officials prior to the US midterms—scheduled for November—although a series of dismissals had been planned for after election day, reported The Atlantic.
However, declining support amid the war with Iran likely changed the political calculus, and more sackings could precede November’s crucial polls.
Bondi was reportedly sacked over her handling of the files related to disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, although Trump made no mention of the same in his post on Truth Social announcing her resignation.
That said, CNN reported that the US President had been frustrated with Bondi on multiple fronts, including her handling of the Epstein files, and was upset that the Attorney General had not investigated or prosecuted enough of his political opponents.
Noem, meanwhile, was sacked over “a culmination of her including the fallout in Minnesota, the ad campaign, the allegations of infidelity, the mismanagement of her staff, and her constant feuding with the heads of other agencies, including CBP and ICE,” as per Trump administration officials.
Patel and others on shaky ground?
FBI Director Patel, who arrived at the bureau promising a radical overhaul, has instead presided over an agency that, in December 2025, was described as “internally paralyzed by fear”. In the same scathing 115-page report compiled by a national alliance of retired and active-duty FBI special agents and analysts, Patel was described as being “in over his head” with organization insiders describing the FBI as a “rudderless ship”.
Patel’s professional misgivings apart, the FBI director has also faced immense public ire during his term, for allegedly misusing a taxpayer-funded government jet for personal trips to watch his girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, perform at wrestling events. In a move that outraged watchdogs, he also reportedly deployed elite FBI SWAT agents to provide her with personal security at public appearances.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s tenure, meanwhile, has devolved into a widening misconduct scandal, with the Labor Secretary now the subject of a formal probe by the Department of Labor’s Inspector General over allegations of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a subordinate on her security detail. The sprawling complaint also accuses her of blatant misuse of taxpayer funds, including “travel fraud” to visit family and friends, using DOL funds to throw herself a birthday party disguised as a swearing-in celebration, and taking staffers to a Portland strip club on taxpayer money.
There have also been claims of on-the-job drinking, with reports indicating the discovery of an alcohol stash in her office. Compounding her political woes, her husband, Shawn DeRemer, was banned from the Labor Department headquarters after at least two female staffers accused him of sexual assault.
Although not as explosive as the controversies surrounding Chavez-DeRemer, Army Secretary Driscoll has faced his own share of turmoil, having drawn heavy criticism over his role in the highly controversial deployment of National Guard troops across the US. While Driscoll did emerge as Trump’s point person for talks between Russia and Ukraine last year, his resume—an investment banker with a degree in business administration—suggests that he may be a poor fit for the defence job.
