Trump Second Term Staff Turnover Drops Compared to 2017

One year into his second term, Donald Trump has experienced a decrease in high-level staff and Cabinet turnover compared to the same period in 2017. An analysis by Brookings Institution fellow Kathryn Dunn Tenpas found that senior staff turnover stands at 29%, a reduction from 35% in 2017. Despite the improvement, this rate remains triple the historical average of 10% for the first year of a presidency.

The current administration has shifted away from the frequent public firings seen during the first term. Instead, recent departures have largely involved the promotion of loyalists to other roles, including Sergio Gor's appointment as ambassador to India and Mike Waltz's move to ambassador to the United Nations. A White House official described significant turnover within the National Security Council as a strategic rightsizing intended to create a more top-down foreign policy process.

While stability has increased within the president's inner circle, high turnover persists among career officials in the Defense, Justice, and State Departments. Tenpas suggests the current stability stems from a specific emphasis on loyalty during the hiring process, which has reduced internal infighting and drama.