Hassett Denies Report He Is Leaving White House After Midterm Losses

Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, said Friday that a report he will leave the Trump administration within weeks is untrue, and the White House also denied it. Semafor had reported, citing three people familiar with his plans, that he was expected to depart soon and had looked at other administration roles since before the midterms. Hassett gave his denial by text to CNBC's Eamon Javers, and the White House said on X that the report had no factual basis. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and his counselor David Zervos were reported as possible replacements. The reports follow midterm elections in which Republicans suffered heavy losses and Democrats flipped the House and Senate. One recent poll found 67 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy. Separately, White House counsel Will Scharf sent a letter dated Monday to Rep. Robert Garcia of California, likely the next House Oversight chairman, warning that probes meant to deter or intimidate officials could amount to criminality. Garcia had told Trump officials to prepare legally.

Townhall, on the right, leads with Scharf's letter to Garcia, quoting its language about possible criminality and describing the Democrats as far left. It does not mention Hassett or the economy. The New Republic, on the left, leads with Hassett's reported exit, calling him the face of a failing economic policy and citing the poll, the midterm losses, the replacement candidates and calls to remove Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Its excerpt does not include the denial. Both tie their stories to the Democratic midterm wins but differ on which consequence matters: oversight and prosecution threats, or economic accountability. The Hill, among the alternative sources, stands apart by leading with Hassett's and the White House's denials. TMZ covers a different matter, UFC boss Dana White's surprise White House press room turn.