Party of one: Trump chews up and spits out his inner circle
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President Trump's blowup with Marjorie Taylor Greene is just the latest spectacular split with a one-time confidante who held prized status in his inner sanctum.
Why it matters: Since he entered politics more than a decade ago, the one constant of Trump's political orbit has been Trump himself.
- Those who have secured a spot as a trusted Trump lieutenant have often found that it doesn't last for long.
Taylor Greene in recent days joined Elon Musk as this year's biggest victims of Trump's wrath.
- In his last administration, Trump severed ties with a string of one-time right-hand men: VP Mike Pence, personal fixer Michael Cohen and White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.
- There's an entire graveyard of Trump appointees who became bitter enemies, from former White House chief of staff John Kelly to former national security adviser John Bolton to former Attorney General Bill Barr.
The big picture: In contrast with past presidents who maintained close circles of advisers and worked with them for years, Trump's sounding board roster is shifting and sprawling.
- People in his ear on a given week might include CEOs visiting the Oval Office, golf partners or Mar-a-Lago guests. He credited a Nevada restaurant server for his no-tax-on-tips policy.
Zoom in: Trump's not-for-long executive style already has been evident in his second-term administration. Of 24 Cabinet-level positions Trump filled this term, just three were in the first-term Cabinet and only Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, held the same role he's in now.
- His current chief of staff, Susie Wiles, is the fifth he's had in five years in office.
- Family members aren't immune from the cycle. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner — fixtures in the first-term West Wing — found work outside of government this time around, though Kushner has recently resurfaced as a key figure in Middle East diplomacy.
- Key staffers who have bridged both administrations include top adviser Stephen Miller, Director of the White House Personnel Office Dan Scavino and Communications Director Steven Cheung.
While Trump's family members are officially absent from his current administration, he is leaning on a couple longtime business community friends for key roles.
- Steve Witkoff is Trump's Middle East envoy, and Howard Lutnick is the commerce secretary.
There are few public signs of fractures between Trump and his current set of White House advisers.
- Scarred by past appointments who weren't steadfastly loyal, Trump made sure to staff his second administration with true believers.
Reality check: Despite the bitter acrimony during these public breakups — often accented by scorched earth Trump social media posts — there is a proven path back into the president's good graces.
- Musk attended the White House's state dinner Tuesday and was seated with Trump at Charlie Kirk's memorial. He had previously de-escalated their bare-knuckle social media brawl.
- Trump pardoned Steve Bannon in the final hours of his first presidency after going to war against "Sloppy Steve" over quotes Bannon gave Michael Wolff for "Fire and Fury" in which he suggested Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer was "treasonous" and "unpatriotic."
