WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Friday that Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller will take over as White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles days after Republicans suffered major losses in the midterm elections.
Trump revealed the sudden leadership change on Truth Social, stating that Miller will formally assume the position on Monday, Nov. 9. Wiles, the first female chief of staff in U.S. presidential history, will transition to working on Trump’s political operations, the president said.
The personnel shake-up comes after Democrats won majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in Tuesday’s elections. While Trump publicly told reporters on Friday that he “wanted to make a change” and insisted Wiles had done an outstanding job, sources told ABC News that the president privately blamed her for the electoral defeats. Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday night once that stance became apparent, according to ABC News.
A Pivot to a Staunch Loyalist
Miller has served as a senior adviser to Trump since the 2016 campaign and has been the central architect of the administration’s aggressive immigration crackdowns and mass deportation policies. In addition to his role as deputy chief of staff, Miller has worked as an adviser to the Department of Homeland Security.
“Stephen’s been with me since the beginning. He gets it,” Trump told reporters Friday afternoon, calling Miller one of his most trusted confidants.
David Cohen, a political science professor at the University of Akron who researches White House chiefs of staff, told NPR that the post serves as an essential gatekeeper for the executive. Cohen noted that while a chief of staff typically acts as a neutral arbiter ensuring diverse perspectives reach the Oval Office, the person holding the role is frequently the last voice advising the president.
Vice President JD Vance praised the move on social media, describing Miller as “an amazing patriot” and calling his new assignment a “well deserved promotion.” Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also endorsed the decision on X, writing that Miller would ensure the final two years of the presidential term succeed.
Capitol Hill Backlash
The appointment sparked swift and fierce pushback from Democrats preparing to take control of Capitol Hill in January.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is widely expected to become speaker of the House, labeled Miller an extremist whose presence in government should be removed immediately. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared that Trump had learned nothing from the midterm election results, promising that upcoming Democratic majorities will contest the administration’s agenda.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, a Nevada Democrat, argued on X that Miller should be subject to congressional investigation rather than running the executive branch, pointing to the real-world fallout of his border enforcement strategies.
Departure of a Calming Influence
Wiles previously served as Trump’s campaign manager during the 2024 presidential race and was credited with bringing structure and discipline to his operation, substantially curbing the internal leaks and high staff turnover that marked his first term in office. Earlier this year, Wiles was treated for early-stage breast cancer, announcing in the fall that she was cancer-free.
“Serving President Trump in the White House has been the honor of a lifetime,” Wiles said in a statement posted to X on Friday. “While my role may be changing, my commitment to the President and the mission never will.”
Miller will take the helm on Monday as the administration reassesses its strategy to confront divided government, leaving it unclear how aggressively the White House will engage with incoming Democratic committee chairs or whether lawmakers will seek to open oversight inquiries into Miller’s past policy initiatives.
