Washington: US President Donald Trump on Friday named Stephen Miller as his new White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles days after Republicans lost control of Congress in the midterm elections.
Miller, a longtime member of Trump's inner circle and one of his closest advisers, is a key architect of the administration's hardline immigration policies. He currently serves as White House deputy chief of staff for policy, overseeing a broad portfolio of government priorities.
The appointment signals that Trump is resisting a conciliatory approach as he prepares to face a combative Congress that will soon be controlled by Democrats. Miller's elevation could also point to an increased reliance on executive action during the final two years of Trump's presidency.
A staunch defender of Trump and his "America First" principles, Miller has developed a deep understanding of presidential executive powers and the functioning of the federal government. He joined Trump's long-shot 2016 presidential campaign as a speechwriter and has remained a key figure in his political and administrative operations.
Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday night, a person familiar with the events said, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe the private conversation. Trump praised her in a Truth Social post and said she would continue working for his political organisation.
"Serving President Trump in the White House has been the honor of a lifetime. I'm so proud to have been a part of what we've accomplished together, from securing our border and cutting taxes to strengthening our economy and putting America First," Wiles said in a social media post shortly after Trump's announcement.
She added that her commitment to "the President and the mission" would remain unchanged.
Wiles was the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff and the longest-serving person to hold the position during Trump's presidency. Trump went through four chiefs of staff during his first four-year term.
Miller's long association with Trump
Miller was a veteran Senate aide who worked for former Senator Jeff Sessions, a Republican from Alabama, before joining Trump's presidential campaign in 2016. Sessions was the first senator to endorse Trump during his first presidential bid and later served as his attorney general.
During the midterm campaign, Miller frequently criticised Democrats on social media, calling them "extremists, freaks and America-hating lunatics". He also promoted unfounded theories about election fraud in California and Alaska.
He has played a major role in the administration's anti-fraud task force targeting benefit programmes and in a decision to suspend Microsoft and other companies from a green card programme. He also served as White House homeland security adviser, coordinating with other government agencies.
However, the administration's immigration policies, closely associated with Miller, became a major liability for Republicans during the midterm elections. The midterm AP Voter Poll found that about six in 10 voters believed the administration's immigration enforcement actions had gone too far and either somewhat or strongly disapproved of how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had handled its responsibilities.
"Just days after the American people rejected his corrupt and lawless presidency, Donald Trump is doubling down," said Representative Robert Garcia, a Democrat from California who is set to become chairman of the powerful House Oversight Committee.
"Stephen Miller is the architect of the unconstitutional ICE raids that have terrorised our communities and kidnapped and killed American citizens and immigrant families," he added.
In a separate statement, Garcia said: "Stephen Miller should lawyer up."
Wiles' role in Trump's political campaigns
The veteran Florida political operative joined Trump's team during his 2016 presidential campaign to lead the effort in his adopted home state. She performed the same role in 2020 before overseeing the nationwide campaign in 2024.
Wiles became the second woman to lead a Trump presidential campaign to victory, although she never embraced the formal title of campaign manager.
At 69, she was credited with bringing discipline to Trump's most organised presidential campaign. Trump himself said he had often been told that Wiles had led his "best-run campaign".
Often called the "ice maiden" by the president, she was considered a natural choice for White House chief of staff at the beginning of his second term. Known for staying out of the spotlight, she developed a reputation for imposing order on Trump's often unpredictable political style.
At Trump's 2024 election night victory party, she repeatedly shook her head and avoided the microphone as he tried to persuade her to address the crowd.
Wiles' candid remarks about Trump administration
Wiles attracted widespread attention in December 2025 when Vanity Fair published a series of interviews with her and other senior Trump administration officials. The interviews were conducted over several months by author Chris Whipple, an expert on White House chiefs of staff.
Her remarks stood out for their unusual candour from a serving White House chief of staff. Wiles said Trump had an "alcoholic's personality", although he does not drink. She also said then-Attorney General Pam Bondi had "whiffed" in her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and described Vice President JD Vance as having been a "conspiracy theorist for about a decade".
Trump and other administration officials rushed to defend Wiles following the publication. She, in turn, criticised Vanity Fair for what she called a "disingenuously framed hit piece", although she did not deny making the remarks.
The interviews also offered a glimpse into her management approach. Wiles said she was "not an enabler" and described how she chose which matters to address.
"I try to be thoughtful about what I even engage in," she said. "I guess time will tell whether I've been effective."
Trump appointed four chiefs of staff during his first term: Reince Priebus, whom he dismissed after six months; John Kelly, who served for 17 months; Mick Mulvaney, who held the position in an acting capacity for a little over a year; and Mark Meadows, who served during the final 10 months of the administration.
Wiles' breast cancer diagnosis and recovery
Wiles' departure also comes months after she announced that she no longer showed evidence of breast cancer following several months of treatment. She made her diagnosis public in March 2026.
Six months after the diagnosis, she said her pathology results had come back clear and that she was "cancer-free". In a statement, she thanked her family, friends and doctors, and gave special recognition to Trump for his "unwavering support".
"She's tough," Trump said at a White House event in October. "She's a tremendous fighter."
In an interview with Fox News Digital last month, Wiles said she had not initially planned to undergo the mammogram that detected her cancer. Her doctor suggested she take the test because a machine was available that day and her schedule was busy and unpredictable.
"Had he not encouraged me to do it that day, I would have gone back to work and probably not thought about it again until July," Wiles told the outlet. "We would be having a very different conversation in that case. Four months may not sound like a long time, but with cancer, early detection matters. I will always be grateful to my doctor for knowing me well enough to insist."
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Wiles' career in politics and lobbying
Before becoming Trump's chief of staff, Wiles built a long career in US politics, particularly in Florida. She managed incumbent Senator Rick Scott's 2010 campaign for governor and briefly served as campaign manager for former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman's 2012 presidential bid.
She also led Ron DeSantis' successful campaign for Florida governor in 2018. However, DeSantis later urged Trump's campaign to cut ties with Wiles in 2020, creating a rift that contributed to tensions between their political circles during DeSantis' unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump in 2024.
Wiles is the daughter of the late NFL player-turned-broadcaster Pat Summerall. She also worked in the offices of former Jacksonville mayors John Delaney and John Peyton. Her first White House role was as a scheduler for President Ronald Reagan.
Alongside her government and campaign positions, Wiles worked as a lobbyist. She was a partner at Florida-based Ballard Partners, which gained prominence in Washington during Trump's time in the White House. Its clients included General Motors, a trade group for children's hospitals, homebuilders and the city of Jacksonville.
She was also registered as a lobbyist for Venezuelan television network Globovisión, owned by businessperson Raúl Gorrín, who was charged with money laundering in Miami. Ballard Partners later described its work for Gorrín as a mistake and said Wiles had played almost no role in managing the relationship.
