President Donald Trump has named Stephen Miller as his new White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles in the most significant personnel shake-up of his second term — just days after Republicans suffered sweeping losses in the midterm elections.
Trump announced the move on Friday in a post on Truth Social, saying Miller — his deputy chief of staff for policy and the architect of the administration's hardline immigration agenda — would take up the post on Monday, November 9. Wiles, the first woman ever to serve as White House chief of staff, submitted her resignation on Thursday night and said Friday would be her last day. She will move to the president's political operation.
The appointment is a clear signal of intent from a president facing a newly empowered Democratic Congress: rather than moderating after a midterm defeat, Trump has elevated his most combative and loyal aide to the most powerful staff job in the West Wing.
What Trump announced
"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," Trump 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!"
Speaking to reporters as he departed the White House on Friday for a trip to Florida, Trump added: "Stephen has been with me from the beginning. He gets it; very good politically. He'll do a great job. Great manager."
Miller, 41, responded on X: "It has been the privilege of my lifetime to have served on his team from Day One, and I am honored beyond words to serve as his White House Chief of Staff."
Why this matters: The chief of staff controls access to the president, manages the White House staff and coordinates policy across the government. Miller's promotion puts the driving force behind the administration's immigration crackdown — and its expansive view of executive power — in charge of the machinery of the presidency for its final two years.
Who is Stephen Miller?
Miller is one of Trump's longest-serving aides. He joined the president's long-shot 2016 campaign as a speechwriter and has been at his side through both terms. In the second term he has served as deputy chief of staff for policy and as homeland security adviser, giving him a perch from which to coordinate with agencies across the government.
He is best known as the key architect of the administration's hardline immigration policies — including the large-scale deportation programme and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations that became a central issue of the midterm campaign. He has also been a major part of the administration's anti-fraud task force targeting benefit programmes, and was involved in the decision to suspend Microsoft and others from a green card programme.
During the midterm campaign, Miller took frequent partisan swipes at Democrats on social media, calling them "extremists, freaks and America-hating lunatics" and promoting unfounded theories about election fraud in California and Alaska, according to the Associated Press.
According to the White House, Miller will become the 33rd White House chief of staff.
Why now: the midterm defeat
The reshuffle comes three days after voters delivered Republicans a historic midterm defeat. Democrats netted seven seats in the US Senate, with results in Alaska and Mississippi still being counted, and had won 253 seats in the 435-member House as of Friday, with 27 races still to be counted, according to Al Jazeera.
Trump was widely expected to shake up his staff after the result, which was widely viewed as a referendum on his presidency. The appointment of Miller, however, largely represents a doubling down on the policies voters appeared to reject, rather than a change of course.
The immigration policies Miller is most closely associated with were a major liability for Republicans in the election. The midterm AP Voter Poll found that about six in ten voters said the administration's immigration enforcement actions had gone too far, and that they disapproved of how ICE had handled its responsibilities.
"Just days after the American people rejected his corrupt and lawless presidency, Donald Trump is doubling down. Stephen Miller is the architect of the unconstitutional ICE raids that have terrorized our communities." — Rep. Robert Garcia, Democrat of California, the likely incoming chairman of the House Oversight Committee
Wiles: the departure of Trump's steady hand
Wiles, 69, was the veteran Florida operative who ran Trump's 2016, 2020 and 2024 campaigns and was widely credited with steering the most disciplined of his three presidential bids. Trump himself has said he was often told she led his "best-run campaign."
She was seen as the obvious choice to serve as chief of staff at the start of his second term, and she became the longest-serving White House chief of staff for Trump, who cycled through four of them during his first four-year term.
Wiles stuck with the job even after a breast cancer diagnosis she went public with in March 2026. Months later, she said she no longer showed evidence of the disease after treatment.
In her farewell post, Wiles wrote: "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."
Her tenure was not without friction. In December 2025, Vanity Fair published interviews in which Wiles said Trump had "an alcoholic's personality" — although the president does not drink — and criticised then-Attorney General Pam Bondi's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Trump and other aides rushed to defend her, and Wiles called the piece "disingenuously framed," though she did not deny making the comments.
What the appointment signals
| What changes | What it means |
|---|---|
| Miller takes the top staff job | The immigration agenda's architect now runs the West Wing and controls access to the president |
| Wiles moves to the political operation | The disciplined campaign manager leaves the White House; her new responsibilities have not been specified |
| Timing: days after the midterms | A first major personnel move after the Republican defeat — and a refusal to soften course |
| Democrats take Congress in January | Miller becomes a prime target for oversight investigations, including of ICE operations |
Democrats are widely expected to launch investigations into Miller once they take control of the House and Senate in January. Garcia, who is set to chair the powerful House Oversight Committee, said in a statement that "Oversight Democrats will continue to investigate Miller for his misconduct" and added: "Stephen Miller should lawyer up."
The move also signals a potential burst of executive actions in the final two years of Trump's presidency. Miller has built a deep understanding of the president's executive power and how the federal government operates, and as chief of staff he will be positioned to drive policy across agencies with fewer internal checks.
What is not yet known: Wiles's exact role in the Trump Political Operation has not been specified, and the White House has not said who will take over Miller's current portfolios as deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser.
Frequently asked questions
When does Stephen Miller start as chief of staff?
Monday, November 9, 2026, according to Trump's announcement. Susie Wiles said Friday, November 6, was her last day in the role.
Who was Susie Wiles?
Wiles, 69, was the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff. She ran Trump's three presidential campaigns and was credited with bringing discipline to his operation. She resigned on Thursday night, November 5, and moves to Trump's political organisation.
Why did Trump replace his chief of staff?
The move follows Republicans' sweeping midterm losses, in which Democrats netted seven Senate seats and took control of the House. Trump praised Wiles's service but said: "Sometimes in life, you have to make moves." The choice of Miller — rather than a conciliatory figure — signals Trump intends to press ahead with his existing agenda.
What does the chief of staff do?
The chief of staff is the president's top aide: managing the White House staff, controlling access to the president, and coordinating policy across government departments. It is one of the most powerful unelected positions in Washington.
Will Miller face investigation by Democrats?
Almost certainly. Democrats taking control of Congress in January are expected to investigate Miller's role in immigration enforcement, including ICE raids. The likely incoming House Oversight chairman, Robert Garcia, has already said Miller "should lawyer up."
Key takeaways
- Stephen Miller, 41, becomes White House chief of staff on Monday, November 9, replacing Susie Wiles, who resigned on Thursday night.
- The move comes three days after Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections.
- Miller, the architect of the administration's hardline immigration policies, is the most combative figure Trump could have chosen — a signal he will not moderate.
- Wiles, the first woman to hold the job, moves to Trump's political operation; her new role has not been specified.
- Democrats taking Congress in January are expected to investigate Miller, with the incoming House Oversight chairman already warning him to "lawyer up."
What to watch next: Miller's first days in the job on Monday, any further staff changes in the coming week, and the first moves by the incoming Democratic Congress when it takes control in January — including whether the Oversight Committee opens a formal investigation into Miller's tenure.
