Dear Members,
we are pleased to share our latest Transatlantic Briefing, covering key developments and events in the United States over the past few days.
We begin with the personnel changes in the White House following the midterm elections, including the appointment of Stephen Miller as the new White House Chief of Staff. We then examine the unsuccessful effort to impeach Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the subsequent vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. Finally, we turn to Veterans Day, observed today, and its special significance in American society.
Leadership Change in the White House
In the first major personnel shake-up following the Republicans’ significant losses in this year’s midterm elections, President Donald Trump is replacing his White House Chief of Staff. Stephen Miller succeeds Susie Wiles, who had held the position since the beginning of Trump’s second term. The 41-year-old previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and as the President’s Homeland Security Advisor. Miller first joined Trump’s team as a speechwriter during the 2016 presidential campaign. Since then, he has become one of the President’s closest confidants and is widely regarded as one of the principal ideological architects of the MAGA movement.
The appointment has drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans alike. Much of the controversy centers on Miller’s leading role in tightening immigration restrictions, his advocacy of aggressive deportation policies, and his support for sweeping enforcement measures by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Critics view the appointment as a continuation of the administration’s existing policy agenda, while others interpret it as a signal that Trump has no intention of changing course despite the electoral setback. Whether additional personnel changes will follow within the administration or the broader Republican Party remains to be seen.
Impeachment Effort Against Hegseth Stalled
Shortly after the U.S. House of Representatives reconvened following the election recess, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced a resolution to impeach Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Massie has emerged as one of the most prominent Republican critics of Donald Trump’s policies, and his initiative received support primarily from Democratic lawmakers. The eight articles of impeachment address, among other issues, U.S. military operations targeting suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and the conduct of the war in Iran. Massie accuses Hegseth of exceeding his authority and violating federal law. The resolution also raises additional allegations concerning the treatment of civilian casualties and the disregard of congressional oversight powers. Hegseth and the administration have rejected the accusations.
The House ultimately voted on the matter overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, Central European Time. By a margin of 211 to 204, lawmakers voted to refer the resolution to the relevant committee, preventing an immediate floor vote on impeachment and effectively stalling the effort for the time being. Republicans overwhelmingly opposed the impeachment initiative, with Massie remaining the only member of his party to support it. Eleven Democrats did not participate in the vote.
For Hegseth to be removed from office, the House would first have to approve articles of impeachment by a simple majority, followed by a conviction in the Senate requiring a two-thirds majority. The outcome therefore provides Hegseth with some political breathing room. Whether the allegations will resurface when the new Congress convenes in January will likely depend in part on the continued political prominence of the war in Iran and criticism of the President and his Cabinet. Both issues featured prominently in the Democrats’ midterm election campaigns.
America Honors Its Veterans
On November 11, 1918, an armistice was signed aboard a railway carriage in Compiègne, France, bringing the fighting of World War I to an end. Approximately 117,000 Americans lost their lives during the war. One year later, President Woodrow Wilson called for the anniversary of the armistice to be observed as “Armistice Day,” particularly to commemorate those who had made the ultimate sacrifice. In 1938, November 11 was officially designated a federal holiday. Following World War II and the Korean War, the holiday was renamed “Veterans Day” in 1954, expanding its recognition to veterans of all American wars. It continues to be observed annually on November 11.
Veterans Day reflects the special place that military service and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces hold in American society. Wreath-laying ceremonies at national memorials, military parades, and public commemorations are central traditions of the holiday, alongside personal expressions of gratitude to veterans. The occasion is not solely about remembering those who lost their lives in service to their country, but also about recognizing the contributions and sacrifices of all those who have served or continue to serve in the United States military. In this way, Veterans Day connects remembrance of the past with appreciation for military service in the present.
Best regards,
The YTI Executive Board
