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(Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump said his deputy chief of staff James Blair will temporarily leave the White House to help bolster Republican prospects in the upcoming midterm elections.
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“James will be taking a short leave of absence to lead the charge from the outside against the Radical Left, Country Destroying Democrats,” Trump said Friday in a social media post. “He will do a fantastic job, and then, after the Election, return again to the White House, so we can finish the job and, KEEP AMERICA GREAT.”
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The move comes at a moment when Republicans’ standing with voters has slipped, putting them in jeopardy of losing control of Congress in the November contests. While Trump’s post did not specify the role Blair will be assuming, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles earlier Friday outlined discussions about having her deputy take over control of the president’s political organization during the midterms.
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“James is a top lieutenant of the president’s and has been invaluable to me for the better part of a decade,” Wiles said in an earlier statement. “That is the frame from which we are considering our options. Consideration of the best way to deploy a most valuable political asset for success in the midterms is a common sense and obvious thing to do.”
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The move signals that the White House is looking to consolidate political decision-making inside the party ahead of the elections for House, Senate and governorships. Blair, who served as Trump’s 2024 political director, has already played a key role in crafting the GOP strategy from within the White House.
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Democrats have seized momentum heading into the midterms, riding a wave of dissatisfaction with Trump’s leadership. Trump was elected in 2024 on a promise to lower prices and keep the US out of foreign wars. But the president’s decision to wage war on Iran drove up energy prices for Americans, exacerbating longstanding concerns over his stewardship of the economy and other issues.
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