Trump Teases More Cabinet Firings in 60 Minutes Interview After Wiles Exit

President Donald Trump told CBS News 60 Minutes that he expects to fire more members of his administration after the midterm elections. Asked by correspondent Ross Douthat if he planned to terminate anyone from his team, Trump answered, “I do,” and added that he would be doing “maybe a few changes.” The clip was released on Friday night, November 6. Hours later, Trump announced his first change: White House chief of staff Susie Wiles was out, and longtime adviser Stephen Miller would take the job starting Monday, November 9. The full interview airs on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on CBS.

Quick Facts

What Trump Told 60 Minutes

The interview was the first sit-down Trump has given since Republicans lost their majorities in the House and Senate in the midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3. Douthat asked the president directly whether he planned to fire anyone from his team after the results. Trump did not hesitate.

“I do,” he said. Then he went a little further. “A little bit,” Trump continued. “I love my Cabinet. I think they are good, but I will be doing maybe a few changes. I don’t want to mention who.”

That short answer carried a lot of weight. Trump praised his Cabinet in the same breath as he promised changes to it, and he refused to name anyone. The refusal to name names is what turned a short clip into a guessing game in Washington. Every Cabinet secretary and senior aide now has a reason to wonder whether the president was talking about them.

The timing made the tease even sharper. The interview was taped on Friday morning, and by Friday afternoon Trump had already delivered the first change he had hinted at that morning. The clip was released on Friday night and aired on the CBS Evening News. The full interview is set to air on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET and PT on CBS.

Wiles Was Already Gone Within Hours

Just hours after Trump told 60 Minutes he expected to fire members of his administration, he announced that Susie Wiles was out. The president posted the news on Truth Social on Friday afternoon, writing that Stephen Miller, his longtime adviser and the current deputy chief of staff, would become chief of staff starting Monday, November 9.

“Susie Wiles, who has done an outstanding job, will be moving over to the Trump Political Operation. I want to thank her for her service as Chief of Staff. She has done a great job!” Trump wrote.

Wiles confirmed the move herself on X, writing, “Today is my last day as White House Chief of Staff.” According to CNN, citing two sources familiar with the matter, Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday evening. The president announced that the move would take effect on Monday.

Wiles, 69, managed Trump’s successful 2024 campaign during her 21-month tenure, during which she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff.

Trump praised Miller as he left the White House for an event in Florida on Friday. “Stephen’s been great, and sometimes in life, you gotta make moves,” he told reporters shortly after announcing the staffing shakeup.

The move is the first major personnel change after the midterms, and it came after Trump voiced fury at the strategy that led to Republicans decisively losing their majorities in the House and Senate, according to people familiar with the matter. Trump said publicly late on Friday that his chief of staff’s departure was “not because of the election.”

Miller is known as the architect of Trump’s hardline immigration agenda, and his promotion is being read as a sign that Trump plans to double down on his approach even after voters rejected it on Tuesday. Wiles was also Trump’s first Cabinet-level departure since April, when he fired Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to the Washington Examiner.

Read our full report on the shakeup here: Stephen Miller Replaces Susie Wiles as Chief of Staff.

Hegseth Gets a Vote of Confidence, With a Catch

The other big moment in the released clip came when Douthat asked Trump whether he still had confidence in War Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hegseth may face an impeachment vote when the House reconvenes next week, and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have questioned the Pentagon chief’s leadership and judgment.

“I do,” the president responded. Then he turned the answer into a claim about the wars his administration has fought. “Look, we’ve won two wars. We’ve won Venezuela and taken out billions and billions and billions of dollars already, and we will be taking out many billions of dollars. We won that war in less than one hour.”

When Douthat asked whether Trump credited Hegseth with the successful Venezuela operation, the answer was less generous. “No, but he was a part of it,” Trump said.

That split answer tells its own story. Trump kept Hegseth in place in public, but he did not give him the credit for the operation that Hegseth’s supporters might have wanted. The Washington Examiner reported that Hegseth has been floated as possibly being on the chopping block, mainly because of his role overseeing the war in Iran, which has been widely blamed for the midterm defeat.

Earlier in the week, Hegseth ruled out voluntarily leaving his post. On Thursday, he posted a nearly six-minute video message. “Just like the president. We don’t back down. And that especially applies now,” he declared.

Trump has also said he will soon decide whether to resume strikes on Iran, a decision that puts Hegseth and the Pentagon at the center of the next big call. Read our report on that decision here: Trump to Decide Soon on Resuming Iran Strikes.

Why the Midterms Forced the Question

The 60 Minutes interview landed just three days after one of the worst nights in recent memory for the Republican Party. Democrats swept the midterm elections on Tuesday, winning control of both the House and the Senate. The scale of the loss has set off a round of blame inside the party, and Trump has grown angrier as he has watched coverage of the historic losses, according to people familiar with his response.

The new Democratic majorities change the balance of power in Washington. The House will be able to open investigations, and the Senate will control confirmations. That is why the staffing question matters beyond gossip. A chief of staff who can manage a hostile Congress is a different job from one who ran a winning campaign, and a Cabinet that must defend its record under subpoena is different from one that only had to answer to the president.

The Senate side of the story is still moving. Democrats won at least 54 seats, and the final number could reach 56 depending on the last uncalled races, including the Mississippi Senate race, which is still being counted. Incoming senators have already started a public fight over the future leadership of their party, with some refusing to commit to the current leadership. Read our report on that fight here: Chuck Schumer Faces Leadership Fight From Incoming Senate Democrats.

Against that background, Trump’s promise of “a few changes” reads as a warning to his own team. The president who won the White House in 2024 is now running an administration that must govern with a Congress controlled by the other party, and he is reshaping his inner circle for that fight.

What to Watch When the Full Interview Airs

The full interview airs on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET and PT on CBS. The released clips cover staffing and Hegseth, but a full hour of 60 Minutes usually runs closer to 40 minutes of interview, which means there is much more material still to come.

Three things are worth watching. First, whether Trump names anyone else. He refused to name names in the clip, but the full interview may press him harder on who else is at risk. Second, what he says about the wars. His claims about Venezuela and the pending decision on Iran are likely to draw close attention. Third, how he talks about the midterm defeat itself. So far he has blamed strategy and praised his own record, but a longer interview may test whether he accepts any share of the blame.

For now, Washington is left with a short clip and a long list of questions. Trump said he would make a few changes. He has already made one. The rest of the list is still a secret, and the people who work for him will be watching on Sunday night to find out whether their names are on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the full Trump 60 Minutes interview air?

The full interview airs on Sunday, November 7, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET and PT on CBS. It was taped on Friday morning, November 6, and a preview clip was released on Friday night.

Who is replacing Susie Wiles as chief of staff?

Stephen Miller, Trump’s longtime adviser and the current deputy chief of staff, will become chief of staff starting Monday, November 9, 2026. Wiles is moving to the Trump political operation. She submitted her resignation on Thursday evening, according to CNN.

Did Trump say he would fire Pete Hegseth?

No. Trump said he still has confidence in War Secretary Pete Hegseth when Douthat asked him directly. But when asked if he credited Hegseth with the Venezuela operation, Trump said, “No, but he was a part of it.” Hegseth may face an impeachment vote when the House reconvenes next week.

Was Susie Wiles fired because of the midterm results?

Trump said publicly late on Friday that her departure was “not because of the election.” But the move came just days after Republicans lost both chambers of Congress, and sources told CNN that Trump had grown furious at the strategy behind the midterm losses. Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday evening.

Sources

• New York Post: Trump suggests Cabinet shakeups will not stop at Susie Wiles in 60 Minutes interview
• Washington Examiner: Trump says he expects to fire Cabinet members after midterm defeat
• CBS News: Stephen Miller to replace Susie Wiles as chief of staff

Final Thoughts

A president who says “I do” when asked if he plans to fire people is not making small talk. He is sending a message to his own administration, and he delivered the first proof of it within hours by replacing his chief of staff. The question now is who comes next, and whether the “few changes” Trump promised turn into a wider shakeup. The full 60 Minutes interview on Sunday night may give some answers. Until then, every member of the Cabinet has a reason to watch.