Contents
- Andrew McCabe
- Anthony Scaramucci
- David Shulkin
- David Sorensen
- Dina Powell
- Don McGahn
- Gary Cohn
- Hope Hicks
- H.R. McMaster
- James Comey
- Jeff Sessions
- Joe Hagin
- Kelly Sadler
- KT McFarland
- Marc Short
- Michael Anton
- Michael Flynn
- Mike Dubke
- Nikki Haley
- Omarosa Manigault-Newman
- Reince Priebus
- Rex Tillerson
- Rick Dearborn
- Rob Porter
- Dr. Ronny Jackson
- Scott Pruitt
- Sean Spicer
- Sebastian Gorka
- Steve Bannon
- Tom Price
Halfway through the Trump administration, more than two dozen senior officials have exited—a record rate of turnover. Some fled to academia. Others are embroiled in a criminal investigation. Many don’t seem to be working at all. (Surprisingly, only one has a Fox News contract.) Here’s a facebook of the most prominent has-beens and their current doings.
Andrew McCabe
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Former job: FBI deputy director.
Tenure: 25 months (14 under Trump).
Fired or resigned? Fired a day before planned retirement; found out when a friend alerted him to a CNN report.
Still in Washington? Yes. Lives in Loudoun County.
Current job: Unemployed.
Under investigation? Yes. Federal grand jury is probing possible involvement in leaks about FBI Hillary Clinton investigations.
Turned on administration? Yes. Wrote scathing Washington Post op-ed: NOT IN MY WORST NIGHTMARES DID I DREAM MY FBI CAREER WOULD END THIS WAY.
Book deal? Yes. Pub date pushed back due to FBI’s slow-rolling of pre-pub approvals.
Presidential insult: “Choirboy.”
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Back to TopAnthony Scaramucci
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Former job: White House communications director.
Tenure: Contested. He says 11 days; many news outlets claim ten.
Fired or resigned? Fired after New Yorker published excerpts of an expletive-laden call trashing colleagues.
Still in Washington? No. Quickly returned to New York.
Current job: Co–managing partner of hedge fund Sky-Bridge Capital.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No. Regularly defends it on cable news.
Book deal? Yes. Trump, the Blue-Collar President came out in October.
Spotted: With wife, launched Mooch and the Mrs. podcast about being married to someone with opposing political views.
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Back to TopDavid Shulkin
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Former job: Veterans Affairs Secretary.
Tenure: 13 months.
Fired or resigned? Fired after dispute over VA privatization and allegations of ethical violations, including use of taxpayer money for wife’s airfare to Europe and a boat cruise as well as improperly accepting Wimbledon tickets as a gift.
Still in Washington? No. Living near Philadelphia, according to spokesperson for new employer.
Current job: Chief innovation officer for Sanford Health.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? Yes. Wrote a New York Times op-ed blasting the White House for politicizing the agency.
Book deal? No.
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Back to TopDavid Sorensen
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Former job: White House speechwriter.
Tenure: Nine months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned after allegations that he’d abused his ex-wife. He denies the allegations and is suing her for defamation.
Still in Washington? “After what the liberal media did to me, printing lies without evidence in an effort to hurt President Trump, I have no interest in sharing anything about my whereabouts or occupation.”
Current job: None announced.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No.
Book deal? No.
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Back to TopDina Powell
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Former job: Deputy national-security adviser.
Tenure: 12 months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned. Though departure came after she reportedly saw her influence diminish, she left the White House on good terms.
Still in Washington? No. Returned to New York.
Current jobs: Senior fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government; also on managing committee at Goldman Sachs.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No.
Book deal? No.
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Back to TopDon McGahn
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Former job: White House counsel.
Tenure: 21 months.
Fired or resigned? Both. Was reportedly planning his departure, but Trump fast-forwarded the timeline with a tweet saying McGahn would be out after Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation process ended.
Still in Washington? Yes.
Current job: Expected to return to his old law firm, Jones Day.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? Urged Trump not to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, then reportedly spent at least 30 hours cooperating with the special counsel’s investigation.
Book deal? No.
Spotted: Noshing at Virtue Feed & Grain in Old Town.
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Back to TopGary Cohn
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Former job: Director of National Economic Council.
Tenure: 15 months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned following disagreements over tariff policy. Reportedly had considered quitting earlier over Trump’s “both sides” comments after Charlottesville.
Still in Washington? No. Left his suite at the Trump hotel to go back to New York.
Current job: Adviser to blockchain startup Spring Labs.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? Not publicly. Widely believed to be source for Bob Woodward’s book Fear.
Book deal? No.
Spotted: Rocking out to Springsteen on Broadway; decked out in head-to-toe pink for a Hamptons breast-cancer fundraiser.
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Back to TopHope Hicks
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Former jobs: White House director of strategic communications and White House communications director.
Tenure: 15 months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned. Announced departure the day after testifying to Congress that she’d told “white lies” on Trump’s behalf.
Still in Washington? No. Initially returned to New York; now in LA.
Current job: Chief communications officer of New Fox.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No. Accompanied Trump to an Ohio rally this summer.
Book deal? No. Publishers reportedly offering her a $10-million advance.
Spotted: Jogging in Central Park with Trump-alum boyfriend Rob Porter.
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Back to TopH.R. McMaster
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Former job: National-security adviser.
Tenure: 14 months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned after months of leaks that Trump had tired of him and his military-style briefings.
Still in Washington? No. Now in Palo Alto.
Current job: Senior fellow at Stanford University.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No.
Book deal? Yes. Memoir, Battlegrounds, scheduled for 2020.
Presidential insult: Woodward’s Fear reported that Trump derided McMaster for dressing in cheap suits “like a beer salesman.”
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Back to TopJames Comey
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Former job: FBI director.
Tenure: Three-plus years (three months under Trump).
Fired or resigned? Fired. Saw the news on TV during a meeting; thought it was a prank.
Still in Washington? Yes.
Current job: Co-teaching a class on ethical leadership through William & Mary.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? Yes, via TV interview circuit and tell-all.
Book deal: A Higher Loyalty netted a multimillion-dollar contract and sold more than 600,000 copies in its first week.
Presidential insults: “A real nut job,” “Grandstander,” “Slimeball,” “Worst FBI director in history.”
Spotted: At the musical Fun Home a week after his firing.
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Back to TopJeff Sessions
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Former Job: Attorney General
Tenure: 21 months
Fired or resigned? Resigned the day after the midterm elections, at the behest of Trump, who was long frustrated that his AG recused himself from the Mueller probe.
Still in Washington? Still owns his Capitol Hill home, according to tax records.
Current job: None announced.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on Trump administration? No.
Book deal? No.
Trump insult: “Beleaguered A.G.” “Disgraceful.” “VERY weak.”
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Joe Hagin
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Former Job: White House deputy chief of staff.
Tenure: 18 months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned. Service under Reagan and both Bushes qualified him as staffer with the most White House experience, reportedly making him suspect with Trump insiders. Departed after summit with North Korea.
Still in Washington? Splitting time between his native Cincinnati and DC.
Current job: “I’m not trying to rush anything!”
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No.
Book deal? No.
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Back to TopKelly Sadler
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Former job: White House director of surrogate and coalition outreach.
Tenure: 13 months.
Fired or resigned? Fired after her comments that Arizona senator John McCain’s vote on CIA director nominee Gina Haspel was inconsequential because he was “dying anyway.”
Still in Washington? Yes.
Current job: None announced.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No.
Book deal? No.
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Back to TopKT McFarland
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Former job: Deputy national-security adviser.
Tenure: Four months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned under pressure after boss and ally Michael Flynn’s departure. Later nominated as ambassador to Singapore; withdrew after questions surfaced about her knowledge of Flynn’s contact with a Russian official.
Still in Washington? Not that we’ve seen, though no one’s answering at her digs in the Hamptons, either.
Current job: None announced.
Under investigation? No. However, this fall McFarland reportedly revised a statement she’d given to federal investigators about Flynn’s contact with Russia’s ambassador to the US.
Turned on administration? No.
Book deal? No.
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Back to TopMarc Short
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Former job: White House director of legislative affairs.
Tenure: 18 months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned.
Still in Washington? Yes.
Current jobs: Senior fellow at UVA’s Miller Center of Public Affairs; partner at Guidepost Strategies consulting firm; contributor at CNN.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? Ish. Reportedly lamented the “diminishing returns” of defending Trump policy on the Hill.
Book deal? No.
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Back to TopMichael Anton
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Former Job: National Security Council spokesman.
Tenure: 14 months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned. A Michael Flynn hire, he left the day before John Bolton became national-security adviser.
Still in Washington? Yes.
Current job: Writer and lecturer at Kirby Center, DC outpost of conservative Hillsdale College.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No.
Book deal? No.
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Back to TopMichael Flynn
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Former job: National-security adviser.
Tenure: 24 days.
Fired or resigned? Resigned after reports he’d lied to the Vice President about talks with a Russian official. Shortest-tenured national-security adviser in history.
Still in Washington? Showing up at his court hearings. His Old Town home—put up for sale amid reports of his mounting legal bills—sold in late September.
Current job: None announced.
Under investigation? Yes. Pleaded guilty to making false statements to FBI; sentencing is December 18.
Turned on administration? Cooperating with Robert Mueller.
Book deal? No.
Spotted: Playing Ping-Pong at a brewery in Asheville, North Carolina.
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Back to TopMike Dubke
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Former job: White House communications director.
Tenure: Three and a half months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned. The GOP establishmentarian reportedly struggled to build alliances with senior staff who’d been on the Trump campaign.
Still in Washington? Yes. Lives in Alexandria.
Current job: Founding partner at the Black Rock Group, a communications agency.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No.
Book deal? No.
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Back to TopNikki Haley
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Former Job: Ambassador to the United Nations.
Tenure: Two years.
Fired or resigned? Resigned.
Still in Washington? No. As UN ambassador, worked in New York.
Current job: Hinted in her resignation letter that she’d be heading to the private sector.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No. Announced that her only plans for 2020 were helping reelect Trump.
Book deal? None announced.
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Back to TopOmarosa Manigault-Newman
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Former job: PR for Office of the Public Liaison.
Tenure: One year.
Fired or resigned? Fired. Reportedly was dragged off the premises.
Still in Washington? No. In Florida, where she and her husband fended off a lawsuit filed by a Jacksonville golf club over home repairs.
Current job: Hawking her public-speaking services. One topic: “Fifteen Years With The Donald: Navigating the Unnavigable.”
Under Investigation? No.
Turned on administration? Yes. Published tell-all and released recordings of senior officials.
Book deal: Unhinged reportedly notched a seven-figure contract.
Presidential insults: “Dog,” “Lowlife.”
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Back to TopReince Priebus
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Former job: White House chief of staff.
Tenure: Six months.
Fired or resigned?Resigned under pressure, becoming shortest-serving initial chief of staff in history. Later told New York Times he’d thought he had a week to prepare for the announcement, but Trump announced via Twitter the next day.
Still in Washington? Yes.
Current job: Chief strategist at Michael Best & Friedrich law firm.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? Not explicitly. Has said narrative of administration chaos is true but he still supports Trump and his agenda.
Book deal? No.
Spotted: At Joint Base Andrews last summer, talking to recruiters about joining Navy Reserve.
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Back to TopRex Tillerson
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Former job: Secretary of State.
Tenure: 14 months.
Fired or resigned? Fired five months after allegedly calling Trump a “moron.” Learned of canning by phone while using a toilet in Africa.
Still in Washington? The Texas native still owns his Kalorama home; neighbors haven’t seen much of him. “Rex and I are away from the bunkhouse right now,” wife’s voicemail says.
Current job: None announced. Estimated net worth of $330 million makes job-hunting less urgent.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? Yes. Told CBS that Trump “is pretty undisciplined, doesn’t like to read, doesn’t read briefing reports, doesn’t like to get into the details of a lot of things.”
Book deal? No.
Presidential insults: “Dumb as a rock.” “Crazy as hell.”
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Back to TopRick Dearborn
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Former Job: Deputy chief of staff.
Tenure: 14 months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned. The Jeff Sessions adviser and Trump campaign volunteer turned deputy chief left to make some money in the private sector.
Still in Washington? Yes.
Current jobs: Partner at Washington-based Cypress Group consulting firm; senior adviser at Adams and Reese law firm.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No.
Book deal? No.
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Back to TopRob Porter
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Former job: White House staff secretary.
Tenure: One year.
Fired or resigned? Resigned after allegations of domestic abuse by two ex-wives.
Still in Washington? He has ghosted even his friends.
Current job: None announced.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? Not publicly. Is thought to have been a source for Bob Woodward’s book; pushed back by telling CNN that passages were “selective and often misleading.”
Book deal? No.
Spotted: See Hope Hicks.
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Back to TopDr. Ronny Jackson
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Former job: President’s physician turned nominee for VA Secretary.
Tenure: 29 days as a nominee.
Fired or resigned? Withdrew nomination after reports that he oversaw a hostile workplace and was known as “the candy man” for improperly doling out prescription drugs to White House staff. Also allegedly wrecked a government vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
Still in Washington? Yes.
Current job: Back in the White House’s Medical Unit, according to the Navy, but no longer President’s chief physician.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No.
Book deal? No.
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Back to TopScott Pruitt
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Former job: EPA administrator.
Tenure: 17 months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned after months of bad press over first-class flights and use of EPA staff for personal tasks including wife’s job hunt. Also rented $50-a-night bedroom in a condo from wife of lobbyist whose firm represented companies with business before the EPA. Motorcade used lights and sirens to speed him to Le Diplomate.
Still in Washington? More likely back in his Tulsa mini-mansion.
Current job: According to the Times, was in talks to work for Kentucky mining magnate Joseph W. Craft III.
Under investigation? EPA inspector general is auditing Pruitt’s spending.
Turned on administration? No.
Book deal? No.
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Back to TopSean Spicer
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Former job: White House press secretary.
Tenure: Six months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned. During GOP establishment figure’s tenure, President was notably unhappy with his performances at the podium.
Still in Washington? Yes.
Current job: Senior adviser and spokesman for pro-Trump super-PAC America First Action.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No. Working to reelect it.
Book deal: The Briefing was published this summer.
Spotted: Frequently at Trump hotel and Army Navy Country Club in Arlington.
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Back to TopSebastian Gorka
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Former job: Deputy assistant to the President.
Tenure: Seven months.
Fired or resigned? Contested. A Steve Bannon ally/Breitbart News alum, he clashed with establishment GOP types.
Still in Washington? Yes.
Current jobs: Contributor for Fox; non-resident scholar at Institute of World Politics.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No. Loudly backs it on TV.
Book deal: Why We Fight came out in October.
Spotted: Parking his black Ford Mustang (vanity plates: artwar) around town. Also, during CPAC this year, he went viral after he pushed a Mediaite reporter and someone caught it on camera.
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Back to TopSteve Bannon
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Former job: Chief White House strategist.
Tenure: Seven months.
Fired or resigned? Unclear. Left amid clashes with chief of staff John Kelly; per official statement, they “mutually agreed” on his last day of service.
Still in Washington? Yes, but also in New York and Europe.
Current job:Leading a dark-money group to promote economic nationalism.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? Yes and no. Directed pro-Trump flick Trump @War but, according to Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury, described Don Jr.’s meeting with the Russians as “treasonous” and called Ivanka “dumb as a brick.”
Presidential insult: “He not only lost his job, he lost his mind.”
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Back to TopTom Price
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Former job: Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Tenure: Seven and a half months.
Fired or resigned? Resigned after revelations that he’d spent more than $1 million of taxpayer money for travel on private charter jets and military aircraft. Shortest-serving HHS Secretary in history.
Still in Washington? No. Lives in Roswell, Georgia.
Current job: Member of Jackson Healthcare’s advisory board.
Under investigation? No.
Turned on administration? No.
Book deal? No.
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Illustrations by Phong Nguyen.
A version of this article appears in the December 2018 issue of Washingtonian.