Washington — President Trump announced Friday that Stephen Miller will replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, the most significant shakeup of his team since Republicans’ losses in the midterm elections.
“I am pleased to announce that Mr. Stephen Miller, the current Deputy Chief of Staff of the Trump Administration, and one of my most trusted advisors, will become the Chief of Staff starting Monday, November 9, 2026,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “Susie Wiles, who has done an outstanding job, will be moving over to the Trump Political Operation. I want to thank her for her service as Chief of Staff — She has done a great job!”
Wiles submitted her resignation to the president on Thursday night, a U.S. official and a senior White House adviser told CBS News. Wiles’ resignation was tied to Republican midterms defeats, according to three sources familiar with the matter. It was unclear if her deputies would remain at the White House.
Miller has been one of Mr. Trump’s closest and most loyal aides for years. He has a broad portfolio in the White House, including as the architect of the president’s immigration enforcement and deportation program. Wiles ran Mr. Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and has been his chief of staff since his first day back in the White House.
“Today is my last day as White House Chief of Staff,” Wiles posted on X. “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. More than anything, I’m grateful for the extraordinary people I’ve had the privilege of working alongside. While my role may be changing, my commitment to the president and the mission never will.”
Mr. Trump’s decision to install Miller as chief of staff represents a doubling down on his approach to governing, despite voters’ widespread rejection of his and congressional Republicans’ agenda on Tuesday.Â
Miller is loathed by Democrats on Capitol Hill who see him as the driving force behind some of the president’s most hardline policies. The president has said in recent days that he thinks he can work with the incoming Democratic leadership, but Miller’s elevation in the White House could lay the groundwork for a much more confrontational relationship.
Top Democrats quickly denounced the move and vowed to ramp up the pressure on Miller once they take control of Congress in January.
“Donald Trump learned nothing from his historic defeat,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on X. “Stephen Miller is the architect of the most barbaric, inhumane policies of this administration. Trump couldn’t have made a worse choice. Our Democratic majorities will fight him every step of the way.”
Rep. Robert Garcia, who is in line to become chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said Miller “should lawyer up.”
“Oversight Democrats will continue to investigate Miller for his misconduct, and we will fight against his hateful policies in Congress and the courts,” Garcia said in a statement.Â
In mid-October, before the elections, the president dismissed the idea that he was interested in making a change with his chief of staff.
“It’s fake news,” Mr. Trump said. “I could not be more happy with Susie.”
