Even after surrounding himself and the White House with loyalists, Donald Trump now appears to be in a bind. The West Wing has been buzzing with speculation about who may soon be leaving the administration.
Among the administration’s most controversial appointees, FBI Director Kash Patel, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem are at the center of the rumored purge.
The administration may be presenting a united front, but murmurs behind the scenes suggest a shake-up may be coming.
Trump is considering moving on from Kristi Noem https://t.co/VxM9bourMn pic.twitter.com/iSFw4HRX8K
— The Independent (@Independent) December 7, 2025
Several White House insiders have told reporters that these three are the top contenders for dismissal. Noem is reportedly under pressure because of her alleged affair with Corey Lewandowski, a relationship often described as Washington’s “worst-kept secret.”
According to The Daily Beast, Kash Patel has drawn the president’s ire for his handling of the aftermath of Kirk’s assassination and the recent attack on Washington, D.C. Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, is said to be under scrutiny for the killing of unarmed foreign nationals during a military operation involving boats allegedly carrying drugs into the country. Although Hegseth attempted to blame the shootings on one of his admirals, the backlash has not died down.
There have been zero reputable polls over the last year where Pete Hegseth has had a net positive favorable rating. ZERO. Every one has had him negative.
Per Kalshi, the chance Hegseth is the first to leave Trump’s cabinet has skyrocketed since Friday… Going from 18% to 35%. pic.twitter.com/sI4qYIlagQ
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) December 2, 2025
Taken together, these incidents highlight how uncoordinated the White House appears and suggest that President Trump may be out of touch with his own staff, fueling rumors of upcoming terminations.
Despite the growing speculation, the White House has denied any plans to remove its top Cabinet members. Spokesperson Abigail Jackson once again insisted that this Cabinet is “the most talented and capable” in American history, dismissing the firing rumors as “fake news.”
Each of the officials at the center of these rumors has loyalists within the administration. Supporters of Kash Patel, for example, recently circulated a photo of him with Trump to show that ‘all is well.’
During his first term, Trump went through a similar period of firings, dismissing multiple Cabinet members. Insiders now claim that he is waiting to reach the one-year mark of his second term, before removing problematic officials. Replacements are reportedly already lined up.
At the FBI, Andrew Bailey was recently appointed co-deputy director- a newly created position. Bailey reportedly works closely with Dan Bongino, and some insiders say he has been placed there as a “babysitter” for Patel and Bongino, both of whom critics consider inexperienced for their leadership roles. If rumors are true, Bailey is expected to become the next FBI director once Patel is removed. Bailey currently serves as Missouri’s attorney general.
NEWS ALERT: FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey and leadership from @FBIJackson announce the arrest of 20 individuals from Mississippi and Tennessee on criminal charges related to their alleged participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Of them, 14 were local law… pic.twitter.com/wgIQNdcvhO
— FBI (@FBI) October 30, 2025
If Trump proceeds with these firings, it would mark the second major shake-up of his administration. The White House has already gone through one internal restructuring before the first year of the term is even complete.
It remains to be seen whether the rumors will materialize and if they do, who Trump will choose to replace Hegseth and Noem. Will he select experienced government officials, or will another Fox News personality join the Cabinet?
