WASHINGTON — White House Director of Legislative Affairs James Braid will depart the administration in September, President Donald Trump announced on Thursday.
Braid acts as the administration’s liaison with Congress, ensuring that lawmakers are aligned with the president’s agenda and pushing his policy through. Braid, who most recently served as a policy aide to then-Senator JD Vance, was close to both the vice president and the president.
He notably played a massive role in getting the “One Big Beautiful Bill” across the finish line and also was a major player in the recent housing bill and the “GENIUS Act,” which establishes guidelines for stablecoins. While his departure is notable, given his standing in the administration and his impact on Capitol Hill, Braid has been with the Trump administration since the beginning of the president’s second term in January 2025 and is choosing to depart ahead of the midterms like several other officials.
“James has played a critical role in our many accomplishments with Congress, including THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL, beating the Democrats in two shutdown showdowns, passing the GENIUS Act, defeating a record number of War Powers resolutions, and the confirmation of my Cabinet at the fastest rate in decades,” Trump said.
“This has been, and will continue to be, the most successful Republican Congress in History,” the president added. “Thank you, James, for your service to our Nation!”
From left: Steven Cheung, White House communications director; James Blair, White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs; and James Braid, White House director of legislative affairs (Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Braid is the youngest legislative affairs director in history, a White House official told The Daily Wire, as well as the longest-serving legislative affairs director for Donald Trump. The official said Braid “defeated two Democrat shutdowns” and “notched more war power votes for President Trump than any POTUS combined.”
Additionally, Braid speedily helped the president confirm his Cabinet and never lost a Senate Cabinet confirmation vote.
Vance, Braid’s former boss, praised the departing official in a statement on Thursday.
“James Braid had one of the toughest jobs in the entire Administration as White House Legislative Director and delivered for President Trump at every turn,” Vance said. “He played a critical role in all of the administration’s achievements in Congress: largest tax cut ever, resources to carry out President Trump’s historic immigration agenda and finish the border wall, defeating two Democratic shutdowns, a landmark first crypto bill, the fastest confirmation of the cabinet in decades and much more.”
“Not only is James brilliant, he is one of the hardest workers you will ever meet,” he added. “He’s been with me in every fight I’ve been in, from day one in my Senate office through the transition and the President’s transformative second term. He has served the President with distinction, and I couldn’t be prouder of him. Very excited to see what he does next.”
News of Braid’s departure comes amid a number of high-profile figures leaving the administration ahead of the midterm elections this fall. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced she would be stepping back from her role to spend more time with her children. She plans to depart the administration by the end of the month.
James Blair, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, announced earlier this year that he would take a temporary leave of absence to head the president’s political operation from the outside of the administration ahead of the midterm elections.
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