The White House has launched a scathing public attack on CNN, vehemently denying a report from the network that suggested President Donald Trump is preparing a significant shake-up of his cabinet early next year.
A Public Denunciation on Social Media
On Friday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt used the social media platform X to deliver a fierce rebuttal. Her statement came in direct response to a CNN story claiming that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Energy Secretary Chris Wright could be dismissed from their posts.
'This story is 100 percent Fake News, and the White House repeatedly told this to CNN in the strongest possible terms,' Leavitt declared in her post. She accused the network of manufacturing drama to boost declining ratings, adding, 'Yet they still wrote the story because their ratings are dying so they thrive off drama that does not exist.'
Leavitt concluded her public lashing with a firm assertion of the President's satisfaction, stating, 'The truth is: President Trump could not be happier with his Cabinet. Shame on you, CNN.'
The Contested CNN Report
The original CNN report, citing anonymous sources, indicated that while no final decisions have been made, a cabinet reshuffle is being considered for around January 20, the one-year mark of Trump's current term.
The network suggested that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's position could be vulnerable due to frustrations within the White House over her de facto chief of staff, Corey Lewandowski. Sources claimed the agency is perceived as being mismanaged because of his influence. The report also noted the Daily Mail's previous exclusive that Noem and Lewandowski have been engaged in a years-long clandestine romantic relationship, which both parties deny.
Furthermore, CNN reported that Energy Secretary Chris Wright was potentially on the chopping block because of alleged 'slow-walking' of initiatives Trump promised during his 2024 campaign.
Pushback and Historical Context
The White House's denial was not limited to social media. A spokesperson for the Energy Department, Ben Dietderich, also pushed back strongly, reminding the network that Trump recently called Wright 'the number one energy person anywhere in the world.'
This public row over cabinet stability stands in stark contrast to the frequent personnel changes that characterised Trump's first term. His administration saw high-profile departures like National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who was dismissed less than a month in, and communications director Jason Miller, who exited before the term even began.
While the current administration, dubbed Trump 2.0, has been more stable, it has not been without its dramas, including the temporary departure of special government employee Elon Musk, who has since returned to the fold.
As the war of words continues, the CNN report also floated outgoing Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin as a potential candidate for a future cabinet role, should one become available. For now, however, the White House insists the current team is here to stay.
