What now for Trump’s kingdom? The cracks within the ‘Trump cartel’ are exhibiting as his VP and son flip

Donald Trump and his cronies once appeared to be an unstoppable in the American right-wing, but the massive midterm humiliation has led to some key allies starting to turn their back on the President

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Donald Trump‘s once blindly loyal inner circle appears to be falling apart after he was dealt a humiliating blow at the US midterms elections this week.

The finger pointing has already begun as senior figures within the Republican party look to find someone to blame for the party’s massive losses. Trump has attempted to pin the blame the losing candidates, despite spending weeks telling people to vote as if his name was on the top of the ballot paper.

The Trump kingdom that has ruled Washington and right-wing US politics for years appears to be crumbling, as a new bombshell report suggests the President’s close allies expressed their frustrations over his war and controversial ballroom.

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Trump once appeared to be an unstoppable force on the right-wing as he hijacked the Republican party with his MAGA movement, family and gang of loyal cronies.

In the wake of the embarrassing loss, which led to the Democrats gaining control of both the Senate and House of Representatives, Vice President JD Vance publicly broke from Trump’s defence of the Iran war and even the President’s own son agreed.

A report, from the New York Times, has claimed members of Trump’s inner circle grew frustrated at the President for allegedly refused to sign off on fundraising money until August. It claimed Trump called the funds “my money”.

House Democrat leader Hakeem Jefferies branded the administration “the Trump Cartel” and said anyone “stealing from the American people” can “no longer hide”, adding: “We are going to hold the crooks accountable.”

The Trump dynasty is showing cracks, but could this be the beginning of the end?

JD Vance

Trump’s vice president was noticeably quiet on the campaign trail in the run up to these midterms, not making as many public appearances or headlines as he had in the past.

JD Vance publicly criticised Trump’s war in Iran, attempting to distance himself from a clear rebuke of the president by voters. In a lengthy social media post after the results, he wrote: “If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so.”

Vance, in his post, said Republican voters cast their ballots for Democrats due to the war, the cost of living, America not being prioritised and the US relationship with Israel. The VP, unlike Trump, declined to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for re-election.

This comes as Vance is widely expected to run to be the Republican candidate for the presidential election in 2028.

Don Jr.

Even more surprising than Vance’s social media rant was Donald Trump’s own son, who agreed with the VP that the Iran war was behind the Repubicans’ shocking losses. The US President’s family members have played a big part in both of his presidential terms.

Don Jr. threw his dad under the bus by reposting Vance’s rant and wrote: “Every word of this is 100.” While Don Jr. has never held a role in an elected public office, he was an executive vice president in the families real-estate company, the Trump Organization, and was a key figure in his father’s election campaigns.

Pete Hegseth

Trump’s loud and brash Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth could reportedly be Trump’s fall guy after the embarrassing election results. The army veteran and TV personality, who changed his title to Secretary of War, has backed Trump in his controversial military actions – including the Iran war and bombing alleged drug boats in international waters.

Reports have suggested Hegseth is on the chopping block as Trump looks to blame someone for the election humiliation. A Republican source close to the White House, speaking to CNN, said: “If the president is serious about anyone taking responsibility for it, it’s Pete Hegseth.”

Trump however yesterday defended his war in Iran saying, “If I had it to do again, I’d have to do it again,” with insiders adding Trump personally likes Hegseth but could find himself with nowhere else to look as some Republicans turn on Hegseth and the war.

Elon Musk

Musk had a brief stint as Trump’s face behind the DOGE initiative to cut federal spending, which saved little and caused chaos, but the billionaire has played his role in the MAGA movement.

The Tesla boss pumped nearly $500million of his own money in these midterms, breaking an individual spending record, but saw little for his investment. $45million went to support Republican Ken Paxton for a Senate seat but he was beaten by Democrat James Talarico, in the historically red state.

On Tuesday night Musk joked that his “election-interfering space lasers didn’t work” but the tech mogul could face serious issues with his own companies.

Musk’s SpaceX has been awarded around $10bn in government contracts since the start of Trump’s second term and this could be at risk with a Democratic-controlled Congress. Also, businesses owned by Musk struggled on the stock markets after the midterms, as investors worry he could be among possible targets for investigations by Congress.

Family

The Trump terms have been a family affair with not only Don Jr being involved politically but also son-in-law Jared Kushner, as US Special Envoy for Peace, and even wife Melania Trump brokering a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia for the front-line city of Oleshky.

The House Democrats oversight committee, which can launch investigations, posted an apparent warning to the Trump’s which said: “Good morning to everyone except: —The Trump Crime Family.” Rep. Robert Garcia, who will lead the powerful House Oversight Committee, issued a cryptic two word statement: “Lawyer Up.”

It has been reported that House and Senate Dems are planning to probe the Trump family’s crypto venture, Don Jr’s close ties to a Russia oligarch who paid for part of his wedding and property deals by the Trump Organization, according to the New York Times.

Old Trump allies turned foes

This is not the first time hardcore Trump allies have turned on the US President. Former-Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene was a key MAGA movement member but broke with Trump last year.

She has now become an outspoken opponent of the President, on the handling of the Epstein Files and the Iran war. She yesterday posted: “This election is a referendum on Donald Trump and the Republican Party’s complete and total failure.”

American conservative news anchor Tucker Carlson was once key in pushing Trump and MAGA messages out but has turned on Trump over Iran and Middle East policy. Last month, speaking to NPR, Carlson said Trump should be removed from office.