White House roiled by another high-profile loss as 'job becomes increasingly hard': report

The exodus from President Donald Trump's White House continued late Wednesday night as key bridge to working with the fractious GOP caucus plans to depart.

According to a report from Politico, James Braid, the top White House aide in charge of liaising with Congress, is leaving the administration with no indication of where he is heading next.

As director of legislative affairs, Braid has been responsible for advancing President Donald Trump's agenda through a narrow Republican majority. The job has "become increasingly difficult as the president has repeatedly clashed with members of his own party in both the House and Senate," Politico is reporting.

Braid's departure occurs during a "tumultuous" period for the White House. The president's approval ratings remain near record lows, the GOP faces significant midterm headwinds, and other senior staff have either departed or are planning exits.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced her departure last week. Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair is on temporary leave of absence to manage Trump's political operation.

The report added that Braid brought "substantial congressional experience" before his departure after previously serving as a top policy aide to then-Sen. JD Vance where he successfully "navigated" both Trump and Vance circles.

Braid played a significant role in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the president's signature domestic legislation, and recently helped advance a bipartisan housing measure through Congress, the report added.