White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles is leaving her position days after Republicans suffered major losses in the midterm elections. She will be replaced by Stephen Miller, a longtime aide to President Donald Trump who played a key role in shaping his hardline immigration agenda. The departure marks the first significant staff shake-up following the midterms. It comes after Trump expressed anger over the strategy that resulted in Republicans decisively losing their majorities in both the House and Senate, according to people familiar with the matter.
However, Miller's elevation to the West Wing's top staff position suggests that Trump has no intention of fundamentally changing his governing approach. Miller has been one of the most influential and controversial figures behind the president's second-term policies. Trump announced that Wiles would move to his political operation, praising her work and saying she has done an outstanding job. According to two sources familiar with the matter, Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday evening. Trump said the change would take effect on Monday.
Trump initially appeared unconcerned about the results of Tuesday night's midterm elections. However, his anger reportedly grew as he watched coverage of the historic Republican losses, people familiar with his response said. His frustration has also spread throughout the West Wing, which has become increasingly divided into factions in recent days. According to one person familiar with the matter, Trump began expressing his dissatisfaction with his political team during a tense election night reception in the East Room. He blamed their strategy for the significant Republican
losses. Wiles was among the people he held responsible, the source said.
Following the midterm defeat, several allies and associates urged Trump to make changes to his senior staff. They argued that the White House needed a different approach, according to a source familiar with the discussions. Miller, who currently serves as deputy chief of staff, has been the driving force behind several of Trump's most controversial policy priorities. Over the past year, he has expanded his responsibilities to cover broad areas of domestic policy and advocated for an expansive interpretation of executive power.
Miller has been associated with Trump since his first presidential campaign, which began in 2015. In a statement posted on X, Wiles described her time working for Trump as “the honor of a lifetime” and said she was “proud to have been a part of what we’ve accomplished together.” “While my role may be changing, my commitment to the President and the mission never will,” she added.
Over the past several days, Trump had asked allies whether they thought Miller would be an appropriate choice to replace Wiles, according to one person familiar with the conversations. He also considered Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton as a possible candidate, the source said. Before becoming the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff, Wiles managed Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. She recently announced that she had completed treatment for breast cancer.
During his first presidential term, Trump went through four chiefs of staff. Wiles remained in the position longer than any of her predecessors. Her approach involved avoiding fundamental changes to the way Trump performed his presidential duties or altering his priorities. Instead, she worked to use influential individuals within Trump's circle to help shape his governing agenda.
Trump frequently referred to Wiles as his “ice maiden” because of her no-nonsense approach. As recently as last month, the president had insisted that she would continue in the position for the foreseeable future. “Susie is here and she’s gonna be here for a long time,” he said on October 16.
