Trump eyes big staff shake-up after ballot bruising

President Donald Trump has told advisers he has decided to remove Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and her departure from the administration is likely to occur in the coming weeks, if not sooner, according to five current and former White House officials.

The president has grumbled for months about what he views as Nielsen's lackluster performance on immigration enforcement.

The president also appears to be souring on Chief of Staff John Kelly, and many see his ouster as the next major Cabinet exit. Kelly is mired in conflicts with a widening array of officials from the National Security Council to the office of the first lady.

First lady Melania Trump even flexed her muscle last week, orchestrating an ouster that provided a brief glimpse at the enigmatic first lady’s seat at the power table.

The target of Melania Trump’s ire was Deputy National Security Adviser Mira Ricardel, who was said to have clashed with East Wing staff over logistics for the first lady’s trip to Africa last month. According to the Washington Post, a White House official said Melania Trump’s staff spent weeks working through “proper channels” to seek Ricardel’s ouster. On Tuesday, the East Wing issued a terse and head-snapping statement about Ricardel: “It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House.”

A day later, Ricardel was gone from the White House.