White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles convened a “crisis meeting” of her top advisers in her West Wing office last Friday as stories about Trump allies cashing in on their access piled up weeks before the midterms, according to the Daily Mail.
The paper reported the meeting began just after 8:15 a.m. Wiles was “panicked,” a source familiar with it told the Mail, as she faced fallout from a New York Times report that Chris LaCivita and James Blair, who help run Trump’s midterm political operation, advised the government of Republika Srpska, a self-governing entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, before its elections.
Two sources told the Mail that Wiles’ “anxiety” was also building over reports about her daughter’s lobbying work. The Daily Beast reported that Katie Wiles is a partner at Continental Strategy, a lobbying firm that registered this year to lobby for Republika Srpska. Her spokesperson said she “has not spoken with any United States Government official regarding Srpska,” the Beast reported.
A White House official told the outlet that Susie Wiles “does not discuss work matters with her daughters.” According to a source, Wiles’ message to staff was that the White House does not engage with the midterms, which is for “Chris and James” to handle.
The press secretary job was still vacant that day. Hours later, Politico reported, Trump announced he had picked Katie Zacharia against Wiles’ wishes. Trump himself is “furious,” an administration official told the Mail. On Oct. 7, he posted on Truth Social about LaCivita and Blair: “They do not work for me, other than as outside consultants.”
He added: “They are allowed to do work for others, just like all consultants in Washington, D.C.” Trump said he would terminate them “immediately” if there is a conflict.
The Mail also reported Thursday that Kimberly Guilfoyle was under internal investigation over allegations including improper gift acceptance and the use of private planes and helicopters, adding to the angst inside the White House. Guilfoyle resigned as ambassador to Greece on Tuesday at the White House’s request, and officials are now worried about what her next step will be.