Miller takes over as chief of staff after Wiles' sudden exit
The change follows the Republican loss of Congress and comes days after Wiles announced her role would end.
By Matthew Collins ·
President Donald Trump named Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff on Friday, replacing Susie Wiles just days after the midterm elections. Miller begins his new role on Monday, November 9.
Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday night, according to a person familiar with the private conversation. Trump announced the change on his Truth Social platform, stating that Miller is one of his most trusted advisors. He praised Wiles for doing an outstanding job and said she will move to the Trump Political Operation.
The leadership change follows a chaotic timeline for the administration. In March 2026, Wiles publicly disclosed a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer. She reported in late summer that she was cancer-free after completing treatment. In December 2025, a Vanity Fair interview sparked controversy when Wiles described Trump as having an alcoholic personality and called then Attorney General Pam Bondi a whiff on the Jeffrey Epstein files. Trump and other aides defended her, though she criticized the magazine for framing the interview as a hit piece.
Miller has served as a close adviser to Trump since the 2016 campaign, initially working as a speechwriter. He previously served as an aide to former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Currently, he holds the position of deputy chief of staff. His appointment places a key architect of the administration's hard-line immigration policies at the center of presidential operations.
Wiles, 69, was the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff. She joined Trump's team in 2016 to manage his Florida campaign before overseeing the entire 2024 presidential bid. Trump often referred to her as the ice maiden and credited her with leading his best-run campaign. Her background includes work as a lobbyist for Ballard Partners and a scheduler for President Ronald Reagan.
The Republican Party lost control of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections. Wiles said in a statement on X that serving the president was the honor of a lifetime. She expressed pride in border security, tax cuts, and economic growth. She added that her commitment to the mission remains unchanged despite the shift in roles.
Trump cycled through four chiefs of staff during his first term. Those included Reince Priebus, John Kelly, Mick Mulvaney, and Mark Meadows. Miller's appointment marks a new phase in the second term as the administration prepares to work with a divided government.
