Top Republican political consultants are flying into Washington to meet with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and President Donald Trump’s political operative James Blair as the White House gears up for the midterms.
As first reported by Politico, the group will meet Monday at the Waldorf Astoria hotel—formerly the Trump International Hotel—in Washington, D.C.
The players will prepare for a challenging midterm cycle as the administration faces continued heat for its military operation in Iran and the impact it has had on the economy. The national average for gas prices is $4.042, according to AAA, nearly a $1 increase year-over-year.
Wiles and Blair are bringing the political consultants from across the country to share data and strategy and plan how to best support congressional candidates, a person familiar with the meeting told Politico.
As a prerequisite to Monday’s meeting, Wiles and Blair met with Trump Cabinet officials in February to strategize how to sell the White House’s agenda. Recent polling from The New York Times shows the president’s approval rating sitting at 40% while his disapproval rating is at 56%.
They are also seeking to hold on to a slim majority in the House of just 218-213.
Wiles previously served as Trump’s co-campaign manager in 2024 and, upon his election to the presidency, was appointed to serve as the first female White House chief of staff.
Blair, who played a key role in Trump’s 2024 win, recently—and temporarily—moved from his position as White House deputy chief of staff to lead the president’s outside political operation. The super PAC MAGA Inc. reportedly has a war chest of more than $300 million that could be used in the midterms. Blair and MAGA Inc. have not yet announced the group’s spending plan.
Trump announced Blair’s “short leave of absence” on Truth Social, saying he will “lead the charge from the outside against the Radical Left, Country Destroying Democrats.”
In a similar meeting last week, Trump met with Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, at the White House. The trio discussed Republicans’ midterm strategy and candidate recruitment, someone familiar with the meeting told The Daily Signal.