President Donald Trump has named Stephen Miller as his new White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles in the first major personnel shake-up of his second term — three days after Republicans suffered sweeping losses in the midterm elections.

Trump announced the change on Friday, November 6, in a post on his Truth Social platform, saying Miller would take over the role on Monday, November 9, 2026. Wiles, who has served as chief of staff since the start of Trump's second term, will move to the president's political operation. In a statement on X, she said Friday was her last day in the job.

The move elevates one of Trump's longest-serving and most polarising advisers to the most powerful staff position in the White House, at a moment when the president is facing divided government for the final two years of his presidency.

What Trump announced

In his Truth Social post, Trump wrote: "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."

He added: "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 confirmed her departure in a statement on X, writing that serving Trump had been "the honor of a lifetime" and that she was "proud to have been a part of what we've accomplished together." She added: "While my role may be changing, my commitment to the President and the mission never will."

The announcement did not specify what Wiles's new responsibilities in the political operation will be, or explain the reason for the change.

Who is Stephen Miller?

Miller, currently a deputy chief of staff and the president's homeland security adviser, has worked for Trump since his first presidential campaign began in 2015, making him one of the longest-serving figures in the president's orbit.

He is best known as the architect of Trump's hardline immigration agenda, and over the past year he has widened his portfolio to include wide swaths of domestic policy. CNN described him as having advocated for an expansive view of executive power.

His promotion puts a policy-driven loyalist — rather than a political manager — in charge of the West Wing's day-to-day operations. The chief of staff controls access to the president, coordinates the work of the cabinet and senior advisers, and sets the rhythm of the administration's agenda.

"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." — President Donald Trump, on Truth Social, November 6, 2026

Wiles's tenure

Wiles, 69, was the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff. A longtime Republican operative in Florida, she was Trump's campaign manager in the 2024 election and was widely credited as an architect of the president's political strategy.

She lasted longer than any of Trump's first-term chiefs of staff — he went through four in four years — and stood out, according to the Wall Street Journal, for her "steely and even-tempered demeanor in a White House crowded with talkative men with large egos." Trump has called her the "Iron Maiden."

She recently announced that she had completed treatment for breast cancer, according to CNN.

Why now: the midterm fallout

The shake-up comes three days after Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate in Tuesday's midterm elections, setting up divided government for the remainder of Trump's presidency. According to the Wall Street Journal, Republicans faced a net loss of at least 41 House seats and at least seven seats in the Senate, including in deep-red states such as South Carolina and Kansas.

Trump had come under increasing pressure to dismiss Wiles after the defeat, according to The Times. The Wall Street Journal reported that, for weeks, Trump had been polling his friends on how she had been performing in the role, according to people familiar with the conversations.

Notably, Trump publicly rejected reports last month that he was considering replacing Wiles. On October 16, he told CNN there was no such plan — a denial that makes Friday's announcement a sharp reversal.

Context: The chief of staff is the president's most senior aide and the gatekeeper of the Oval Office. A change at the top of the West Wing three days after an election defeat is a classic signal that a president intends to reset his administration's direction — in this case, with a loyalist who embodies the immigration and executive-power agenda that defined Trump's second term.

What is not yet known: The White House has not said what role Wiles will hold in Trump's political operation, who will fill Miller's current posts as deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser, or whether Miller will keep those portfolios alongside the chief of staff's job. The announcement also gave no reason for the timing beyond the midterm result itself.

What to watch next

Miller formally takes over on Monday, November 9. The first test of his tenure will be how the White House reorganises around divided government, with Democrats set to take control of both chambers of Congress next year and to use their majorities to investigate the administration and block its legislative agenda.

Further personnel changes may follow. Post-election shake-ups often extend beyond the chief of staff, and the coming days will show whether Friday's move is a single change or the start of a wider reset of the president's senior team.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the new White House chief of staff?

Stephen Miller, a longtime Trump adviser who has served as deputy chief of staff and homeland security adviser. He takes over on Monday, November 9, 2026.

What happened to Susie Wiles?

Wiles is leaving the chief of staff role after serving since the start of Trump's second term. She will move to Trump's political operation, and said Friday was her last day as chief of staff.

Why did the change happen now?

The announcement came three days after Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections. Trump had been under pressure to dismiss Wiles, and the Wall Street Journal reported he had been sounding out friends about her performance for weeks.

What does a chief of staff do?

The chief of staff is the president's most senior aide: controlling access to the Oval Office, coordinating cabinet and senior staff, and managing the administration's agenda. Miller's appointment puts a policy loyalist in charge of that machinery.

Key takeaways

  • President Trump has named Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff, effective Monday, November 9, 2026.
  • Susie Wiles, the first woman to hold the job, is departing after serving since the start of Trump's second term; she moves to his political operation.
  • The shake-up follows the Democrats' midterm sweep of both chambers of Congress, with Republicans losing at least 41 House seats and at least seven Senate seats, according to the Wall Street Journal.
  • Miller, a Trump adviser since 2015 and the architect of his immigration agenda, now controls the West Wing's operations as the president faces divided government.
  • Unanswered: Wiles's exact new role, who fills Miller's current posts, and whether further personnel changes will follow.