Several Republican officials and political operatives believe that Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, or Secretary of State Marco Rubio should be held responsible for the election defeat. The administration is reportedly looking for someone to blame as Trump considers possible changes to his Cabinet.
She is accused of playing the two leaders against each other while staying out of the spotlight to avoid attracting Trump’s anger, the Daily Mail reported. Wiles, whom Trump has nicknamed the ‘Ice Maiden’, is reportedly trying to protect herself from being removed in a possible post-election Cabinet purge. One of the main strategies Wiles is reportedly using is to create a conflict between Vice President JD Vance and Rubio.
This could create a direct clash between Vance and Rubio, who are both considered leading contenders to become the Republican Party’s presidential candidate in the 2028 election. Because of his own involvement in the peace negotiations with Iran, however, Vance could also face criticism. Because she was responsible for helping plan the administration’s midterm campaign, wiles could face questions over the Republican Party’s election strategy.
She is attempting to shift attention towards other senior officials rather than face responsibility for the Republican defeat, according to sources cited by the Daily Mail . Neither would want the Iran war or the failed peace negotiations to damage their chances of succeeding Trump, according to the report. Sources previously told the Daily Mail that she had assured Trump that Republicans would perform well in the nationwide elections.
The vice president had publicly acknowledged on Tuesday that the war had hurt Republican chances in the midterm elections, the Daily Beast reported.
