Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has joined a growing chorus of conservative voices calling for the immediate dismissal of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, blaming her and other political operatives for the Republican Party's bruising midterm losses on Tuesday.
In an interview with British journalist Steven Edginton, Bannon argued that the electoral setbacks—which saw Democrats flip GOP-held seats in Texas, South Carolina, Iowa, Kansas, and Ohio—demand swift accountability at the highest levels of the administration.
“I think that you have to look to people like Susie Wiles, the chief of staff, and the political consultants that are there … because of the results, they should be removed and removed immediately,” Bannon said.
The criticism echoes remarks made by Caroline Sunshine, a former Trump administration staffer, who told Fox News on Wednesday that Wiles “needs to resign” and “offer her resignation to the president before he has to ask for it. Her campaign skills have not translated into governing.”
Bannon’s comments come as Republicans grapple with a shifting electoral map. In Texas, a state that has been a GOP stronghold for decades, Democratic candidates scored historic victories. State Rep. Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Governor Greg Abbott, becoming the first Democrat to hold the governor’s office since Ann Richards in 1994. Meanwhile, Democrat James Talarico unseated Attorney General Ken Paxton, securing a Senate seat that had been in Republican hands since 1988.
Bannon warned that these victories could have national implications, particularly on immigration policy. “Right now, in Texas we have a fight,” he said. “The new governor can make Texas a sanctuary state. If Texas is a sanctuary state like New York and California, you’re seeing the end of this republic as you know it.”
Talarico, however, has signaled a willingness to work with the Trump administration on border security. In an interview with Forbes, he said, “I think there is an opportunity here to finally pass comprehensive immigration reform, to secure our border. And also create more legal pathways for hard-working immigrants to come to this country, contribute to this economy and make us richer and stronger as a nation.”
The midterm results have intensified internal GOP battles over strategy and messaging, with some conservatives pointing to the influence of political consultants who have long shaped the party’s approach. Bannon’s call for Wiles’ removal is part of a broader critique of the administration’s political operation, which he argues has failed to connect with voters in key states.
As the dust settles, the White House faces mounting pressure to recalibrate its political team ahead of the next election cycle. Whether Wiles will survive the fallout remains uncertain, but the calls for her ouster are growing louder by the day.
