Trump names Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles
Photo: NBC NewsPresident Donald Trump announced Friday that Stephen Miller will become White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles in the first major personnel shake-up since Democrats swept the midterm elections on Tuesday, winning control of both the House and the Senate.
Trump made the announcement in a post on Truth Social on Friday afternoon. "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. "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!"
Miller, 41, currently serves as deputy chief of staff for policy and as the president's homeland security adviser. He has been one of Trump's closest aides since his first term and was the chief architect of the administration's hardline immigration agenda, including the deportation and border enforcement policies at the center of the second term.
Wiles, 69, has served as chief of staff since the start of Trump's second term and was the first woman to hold the job. She was one of the key figures behind Trump's reelection campaign. In a statement on X on Friday, Wiles said Friday would be her last day as chief of staff.
The change comes three days after Republicans suffered sweeping losses in the midterm elections, losing dozens of House seats and control of the Senate in what Trump himself has called a "blue tsunami." Pressure had been building on the White House to make staff changes after the defeats, and the appointment of Miller — one of the administration's most prominent hardliners — signals that Trump plans to lean further into the agenda that defined his second term rather than recalibrate.
Trump is traveling to Florida on Friday for his first trip outside Washington since the election, while top Republicans are still debating what went wrong. Vice President JD Vance on Friday blamed the midterm losses in part on the war in Iran, while other Republicans have pointed to the economy and the administration's handling of domestic issues.
Miller takes over the West Wing on Monday, November 9. Wiles will move to Trump's political operation, where she is expected to play a role in the party's rebuilding effort ahead of the 2028 presidential race.
Sources: CNN, "Stephen Miller will become White House chief of staff, Trump announces" (Nov. 6, 2026); Reuters, "Trump promotes Stephen Miller to post of chief of staff" (Nov. 6, 2026); The Wall Street Journal, "Trump Names Stephen Miller His New Chief of Staff" (Nov. 6, 2026); USA Today, "Trump names Stephen Miller new chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles" (Nov. 6, 2026); The Times, "Stephen Miller replaces Susie Wiles as Trump's chief of staff" (Nov. 6, 2026).
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