Turnover in President Donald Trump‘s second administration may not be reaching the heights seen during his first White House term, but it’s approaching levels still higher than average for most commanders in chief, according to a Brookings Institution report.
The report tracked the turnover rate for the “A Team,” staff members within the executive office, excluding Cabinet secretaries. It shows that since returning to office last year, Trump has shed 32% of his White House staff as of April 15, 2026.
Of the 68 members the report tracked, 22 people either departed from the administration or were promoted.
An official within the Trump administration criticized the Brookings’ “turnover” data as “an inaccurate portrayal, since these staffers continue working for President Trump and his administration and do not depart.”
Dan Scavino, for example, was the White House deputy chief of staff before he was promoted to director of the White House presidential personnel office.
In Trump’s second year, three Cabinet members have departed, including former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, former Attorney General Pam Bondi, and former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. All three were women.
“President Trump has the most talented Cabinet in American history who work every day to implement his common sense, America First agenda,” White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said. “The President has always been and continues to be supported by many incredible, hardworking, and inspiring women – including those who serve in his Cabinet – Secretary Rollins, Administrator Loeffler, Secretary McMahon, and his top advisers at this White House – including the first-ever female Chief of Staff.”
No Cabinet member departed in Trump’s first year in office. But more departures could come as displeasure with FBI Director Kash Patel has bubbled up and as the midterm elections approach.
Katie Dunn Tenpas, the author of the report, told Politico that “Turnover after one year of the ‘A Team’ was 29 percent which is less than 2017, his first term, when it was 35 percent – but that’s substantially higher than other presidents.
“When you compare Trump two to the other presidents, it’s the second highest and substantially higher,” she said. “If you look at more traditional types of presidents, this turnover is still incredibly high. And I would even call it an outlier.”
Many of the departures in the second term were from National Security Council officials who resigned under pressure. Several NSC officials were also dismissed in May 2025 as Trump tapped Secretary of State Marco Rubio to also serve as his national security adviser after Mike Waltz’s nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
In contrast, during Trump’s first term as president, from 2017 to 2021, there was a 66% turnover rate of the “A Team” during the first two years, and seven Cabinet members had departed in that same time period. In total, 14 Cabinet members would leave the administration in Trump’s first term.
Trump’s first term is widely seen as more turbulent, when he was a political novice relying on the wisdom of the GOP old guard. A second-term Trump has proven more stable with far fewer dramas.
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Former President Joe Biden, Trump’s predecessor, did not have any Cabinet members exit during his first two years of office. Only two Cabinet members in total had left by the end of Biden’s term in January 2025. Former President Barack Obama also did not have any Cabinet departures in the first two years of his first administration. In total, the first Obama term saw three Cabinet officials leave.
“If you look at all the presidents going back to Reagan, none of them had this much turnover in the Cabinet at this particular point,” Tenpas said. “So again, comparing Trump to Trump, it’s less turnover, but comparing Trump’s second administration to other presidents, it’s the second highest level of turnover.”
