Trump Turns to Congress Amid Exodus

A whirlwind week in Washington: sweeping new double-digit tariffs dropped just as the White House halted strikes on Iran, but there’s a catch. The administration is running on fumes — record staff turnover means the team executing these huge moves is the thinnest in decades. Top officials at Health and Human Services, Treasury, and the Department of Energy are out the door after only brief stints, and the pipeline for replacements is slower than ever. That leaves critical agencies running on “acting” directors, raising the risk of ideas stalling before they ever hit the ground.

But here’s the kicker: with agencies stretched, Trump is turning to Congress for some political muscle. Allies like Brian Jack — former White House political director and now a power player on Capitol Hill — are whipping up party support and endorsements, but they can’t fix the grind of short-staffed government. Meanwhile, the economic fallout looms. New tariffs are making a splash, but most of the cost lands on shoppers, and manufacturing jobs haven’t bounced back despite the hype.

On the foreign policy front, the Iran strike pause sent oil prices tumbling, but if talks fail, the White House is ready to hit reset — a move that could instantly reverse the economic calm. Featuring reporting from Roll Call and insights from USTR Jamieson Greer.

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