Another White House exit: Who is Richard Walters and why is he leaving after the midterm drubbing?

President Donald Trump’s White House is facing another major change after Deputy Chief of Staff Richard Walters announced his departure. His resignation comes as Stephen Miller prepares to take over as chief of staff, bringing a new leadership team into the West Wing. Walters, a longtime ally of outgoing chief of staff Susie Wiles, is expected to continue supporting Trump from outside the administration. His exit also follows the Republican Party’s losses in both chambers of Congress during the midterm elections. The information is taken from The US Sun and Fox News.

Who is Richard Walters?

Walters is a veteran Republican political operative who has worked with Trump through all three of his presidential campaigns. He previously served as the longest-tenured chief of staff in Republican National Committee history. He joined the White House in May 2026 and became one of Wiles’ closest political aides. Walters also served as executive director of Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s 2025 inaugural committee. His working relationship with Wiles goes back more than a decade. She gave him the opportunity to serve in the administration, something he acknowledged in his resignation message.


“Serving President Trump has been the honor of a lifetime and I will always be thankful to Susie Wiles for the opportunity,” Walters told Axios.

He also praised the incoming chief of staff, adding: “Stephen is building an incredible and capable team to implement the President’s agenda and I look forward to being part of it from the outside.”

Why is Walters leaving the Trump administration?

According to Axios, Walters offered his resignation on Friday. His departure was described as amicable, and he is expected to remain involved in supporting Trump’s political agenda.

The exit comes after Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate in the midterm elections. Trump has since moved to reorganize his administration, with Walters becoming the first major departure in the changing leadership structure.

Stephen Miller also confirmed that Walters would remain an ally outside the White House.

“Richard has been an invaluable member of the White House and has helped deliver some of the Administration’s biggest victories,” Miller told Axios. He added that Walters would continue helping the administration from outside.

Stephen Miller prepares to build his team

Trump announced Miller’s appointment on Friday, describing him as one of his “most trusted advisors.” He is scheduled to take over on Monday, replacing Wiles, who resigned last week. The transition has also affected Miller’s family. His wife, Katie Miller, announced on X that she would stop recording new episodes of her podcast to focus on raising their four children. Two previously recorded episodes will still be released.