The White House moved quickly to knock down reporting that changes were coming to President Donald Trump's cabinet.
Trump's cabinet has been stable so far in comparison to his first term, but CNN reported that multiple sources familiar with the discussions say the White House is preparing for a shakeup – particularly in the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of Energy – as the administration nears the one-year mark.
"Trump himself is happy with [DHS Secretary Kristi] Noem, multiple sources told CNN, and he has consistently praised her in public and private settings," the network reported. "But behind the scenes, some top White House officials have become frustrated with chief adviser Corey Lewandowski, a longtime Noem confidante who was tapped early on to serve at DHS as a special government employee — a temporary status."
Lewandowski has gathered enormous power at Noem's side but also clashed with senior White House officials, especially chief of staff Susie Wiles, and while his temporary job status was supposed to last only 130 workdays in a yearlong period, he started working for DHS early in the administration, but a spokesperson claimed he still had 40 days of service remaining.
“Yes, he likes [Noem], but it has been brought to his attention that [Lewandowski] is a problem, and the agency is being mismanaged because of it,” said a source close to the White House.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson insisted Trump was satisfied with "tremendous results" achieved by Noem and her team on border security and deportations, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied changes were being considered in a statement to CNN and then followed up after publication with a post on X disputing the report.
"This story is 100% Fake News, and the White House repeatedly told this to CNN in the strongest possible terms," Leavitt posted. "Yet they still wrote the story because their ratings are dying so they thrive off drama that does not exist. The truth is: President Trump could not be happier with his Cabinet. Shame on you, @CNN."
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is rumored to be waiting in the wings for a Cabinet position or another administration role should a vacancy open, but several Republicans close to Trump say the two men have not had a direct conversation about the matter, but they've publicly praised one another in recent weeks.
"The governor has told allies that he would be excited by the prospect of joining the Cabinet, should a vacancy arise, but he has expressed more interest in an economic or business portfolio, rather than one focused on immigration," CNN reported. "One longtime friend, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Youngkin would likely be reluctant to assume the reins of Trump’s aggressive deportation policies at the Department of Homeland Security."
The 59-year-old Youngkin, who's term-limited out of office in January, may be considering that overseeing the widely reviled immigration crackdown could prove costly to his political ambitions.
"Youngkin is weighing his political future, allies say, even though he is uncertain whether he could find a suitable opening to match his ambitions," CNN reported. "He made summer trips to Iowa and South Carolina, two key stops in any Republican presidential primary, to meet party activists and keep his options open."
