Kevin Hassett to Leave Trump's Economic Council After Midterm Rout

> Kevin Hassett, the public face of President Donald Trump's economic policy, is expected to leave his post as director of the National Economic Council. Three people familiar with his plans told Semafor that Hassett expects to depart within the next few weeks. He has been eyeing other jobs inside the administration since well before the midterms, some of those people said.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — who could hold both jobs — and Bessent's counselor David Zervos are among the names being considered as replacements. The churn comes as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faces renewed calls to be removed, this time over his alleged efforts to shield Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and a suspected Chinese intelligence asset from scrutiny.

The exit lands right after a brutal cycle for Republicans, who lost control of both the House and the Senate as affordability became a defining issue for voters. Trump's economic record is now one of his weakest spots: a recent poll found 67 percent of Americans disapprove of how he's handling the economy. The New Republic's own read on Hassett is unsparing — it describes him as having denied data and blamed former President Joe Biden for everything, all with a smile.

In Florida, the anti-DEI backlash is landing on parades. Delray Beach announced earlier this week that it is canceling its St. Patrick's Day parade and annual Pride celebration under Florida Senate Bill 1134, a law that takes effect January 1 and restricts municipal funding, promotion and official actions tied to what it defines as diversity, equity and inclusion. A city statement said Delray is legally prohibited from organizing, funding or promoting the events in 2027, though private sponsors could still step in. Mayor Tom Carney said Wednesday he'd try to rescue the parade and that the city is negotiating with multiple entities, without explaining how — and one resident shot back, “Are they gonna cancel the Christmas parade as well?”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries got shouted down Friday in Denver, where protesters disrupted his interview with Fox News's Jessica Tarlov at the What's Next conference, hosted by the Majority Democrats organization. Hecklers called him a “traitor,” demanded he back Medicare for All and the Green New Deal, and slammed his summer meeting with Jared Kushner and his refusal to block the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, which critics call a giveaway to Big Oil. “Why should we trust you when you're in the pocket of corporations?” one yelled while being escorted out. Jeffries let it roll off: “Remember, ya'll, I grew up in Brooklyn.” He and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer both drew calls to step down after the midterms, but only Schumer has a declared challenger, Senator Chris Van Hollen.

Texas Representative Chip Roy spent half an hour Thursday ripping his own party on the House floor. “Somebody tell me why Republicans lost last Tuesday? I'll say it's because they were focused on themselves and the ruling class and not the people,” he said, rejecting the Iran war as an explanation and blaming “corporate crony government interests” and GOP redistricting that trampled local voters. Roy, 54, celebrated passing Trump's “Big, Beautiful Bill” in 2025 but complained Republicans “didn't campaign on it,” and said the loss “pisses [him] off.” He skipped reelection to run for Texas attorney general and lost; he leaves Congress January 3. Separately, Justice Samuel Alito told a Federalist Society panel Thursday that lower court judges are “dedicated” and “skillful” but “not perfect,” accusing some of going “far astray in abuse of their powers” by blocking Trump's policies — without naming a single ruling or addressing Trump's attacks on the judges who rule against him.