Trump names Stephen Miller White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles after midterm losses

In brief

• Donald Trump has named deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller to replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, effective Monday, November 9.
• The change follows Republican losses in the midterm elections that cost the party control of both chambers of Congress.
• Trump signaled further Cabinet changes, while Democrats criticized Miller as a hardline immigration figure.

Leadership change at the top of the White House

Trump announced on Friday that Wiles is leaving the post and that Miller will take over on Monday, November 9 (Трамп прызначыў новым кіраўніком апарата Белага дома змагара з іміграцыяй Стывэна Мілера – Nasza Niwa) (Trump Signals More Cabinet Changes in Store After GOP Losses – Yahoo). Trump said Wiles had done an excellent job and would move into his political operation (Трамп звільнив керівницю апарату Білого дому – Європейська правда) (Trump vybral nového personálního šéfa Bilého domu. Wilesovou nahradí Miller – Deník.cz). A senior White House official, speaking anonymously, said Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday evening (Trump pani Valge Maja uueks personaliülemaks karmikäelise Stephen Milleri – ERR).

Wiles was the first woman to hold the role. She is credited with organizing Trump's 2016, 2020 and 2024 campaigns (Трамп сменил главу своего аппарата – Reform.news) (Трамп звільнив главу апарату Білого дому: хто її замінить – UNIAN). Wiles is set to work with Maga Inc., a political committee linked to Trump (Прихильник масових депортацій і жорсткого тиску на Україну: що відомо про Стівена Міллера, який очолив апарат Білого дому – Espreso).

Midterm defeat and further changes

The reshuffle follows Republican losses in the midterm elections, which cost the party control of both chambers of Congress (Трамп сменил главу аппарата Белого дома – Charter 97). Asked on CBS News' "60 Minutes" whether he expected to fire anyone, Trump said he did, adding that he would make "maybe a few changes" to his Cabinet.

Who Stephen Miller is

Miller, 41, has worked close to Trump since the 2016 campaign (Nach Entlassung von Stabschefin Wiles - Trump rückt rechten Hardliner Stephen Miller ins Zentrum des Machtzirkels – Deutschlandfunk) (Wofür Trumps neuer Stabschef Miller steht – tagesschau.de). He is widely seen as one of the main architects of the administration's restrictive immigration policy, including mass deportation efforts (Трамп назначил главой аппарата Белого дома Стивена Миллера. Он один из самых радикальных представителей его администрации – Meduza). He has also played a role in deploying the National Guard domestically and in military operations against alleged drug boats off Venezuela. Before the appointment he was deputy chief of staff and adviser on homeland security (Trumps neuer Stabschef Miller: "Ein Warnschuss in Richtung des künftigen Kongresses" – tagesschau.de).

Reaction

Democrats criticized the choice. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called Miller a dangerous nativist and reckless extremist. Commentator Chris Whipple said the appointment signals Trump does not plan to cooperate with the incoming Democratic House majority. Some Republicans have also reacted critically to the pick.