'Cash out before we lose' — Trump White House aides resign in rapid succession

A string of high-profile departures from the Trump White House this month has fueled analysis that key aides are positioning themselves for private-sector jobs while they still hold the premium of being connected to the majority party — anticipating a Republican loss in the midterm elections. The exits have also stirred unease inside the administration, with some officials voicing concern about growing uncertainty within the White House.

According to Politico, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt, who served as the public face of the Trump administration's second term, will resign at the end of this month. James Braid, the chief congressional liaison, followed suit, announcing his resignation Wednesday (local time).

Braid served as a key legislative aide coordinating relations between the White House and Congress. He is credited with playing a central role in passing the tax-cut package that President Donald Trump dubbed the "one big beautiful bill." Braid is set to leave his post on Sept. 30. CNN said his planned departure less than three months before the midterm elections "could complicate the White House's final planned legislative push."

Ed Martin, a longtime Trump loyalist who handled the president's pardon work, also recently announced his intention to resign. Shortly after Martin's announcement, White House Counsel Dave Warrington said he too planned to leave. The successive departures of Trump loyalists ahead of the midterms have raised concerns about growing instability inside the White House at an already fraught moment, including a stalemate in the Iran war. Politico said the resignations "don't guarantee the administration's path forward will be rockier, but they are injecting uncertainty into an already precarious moment as the president faces myriad challenges at home and abroad."

Inside the White House, some view the departures of key figures as a sign that they sense a Republican defeat in the midterms and are moving to claim their spot in the private market before their value diminishes. The thinking is that to land a good job in the private sector, aides need to make their move while they still carry the premium of being connected to those who can influence the majority party.

"If you want to get a good private-sector job, you need to move right now," a source familiar with the White House told Politico, "because there are still relationships you can leverage while they're in the majority." The source described the dynamic as a question of the individuals' "marketability" in the private sector.

Some analysts said the wave of departures itself deepens the shadow of electoral defeat hanging over Republicans heading into the midterms. Another White House official said people "seem to think they're seeing bad omens and that Republicans are likely not going to hold the House, may not hold the Senate, and everything is going to be gridlocked."

The official added that people inside the White House "are thinking about what their post-administration business prospects look like and what negative impact going to the private sector will have on their outlook."

Meanwhile, Fox News reported Sunday (local time) that Leavitt would move to MAGA Inc., the fundraising and political operation supporting Trump, after stepping down at the end of this month. Her specific role within the organization has not yet been determined, the network said.